Knitting Kitties

Back in Stock at Creativemind - Red Voyageur Cap

2012-01-28T09:58:00.000-06:00

This unique cap is one of the more popular items in my Etsy shop. It is a historically authentic cap that the Voyageurs, or French furtraders, wore in the 1600’s when they were exploring Canada and the northeasternUnited States. A friend of mine who does reenacting had asked me to knit onefor him, and when others reenactors saw it, he suggested I make more.

This painting by Frances Anne Hopkins shows an example ofjust such a cap:

The cap is made form 100% wool yarn, and this one is themost traditional color – red. The shape is basically that of a squashedfootball, and it’s worn by tucking one end up into the other end, which gives adouble layer to keep your head warm. The pointed end of the cap is then foldedover to one side for a jaunty look.

Not only have these caps been popular with the reenactors,many other people have found them to be a unique form of winter headgear. Inthe past I’ve knit special orders in a variety of colors, and have adding ribbingand a tassel as a special request.

If you attend Black Powder Rendezous, or other historicalevents, or are just looking for a great way to stay warm, check it out!

She's Got Legs...

2012-01-22T12:55:00.000-06:00

Ok, I don’t have rock star super model legs by any stretchof the imagination, but now, after several months of off and on knitting, I’vegot leg warmers to keep them warm!

Often in the winter, I’ll change into jammies or a flannelnightgown early in the evening, especially if I’m just going to be sitting andknitting and watching tv or listening to books. I would bundle up pretty well,but with a nightgown, I’d still have cold legs, especially when I’d have toleave my little nest for some reason. I realized two or even three years agothat leg warmers would be the answer, but it took this long to get going andactually make some.

Even though I could have figured out something on my own, Idecided to find a pattern as a jumping off point. I liked the looks of a pattern called Ribbed Thigh Highs from the Lion Brand website; it was what I had in mind – something longenough to go over the knee, and just a basic stitch design. I can't link directly to the pattern - you'd need to register and log in just to look at it :(

The yarn I chose was a vintage yarn from my stash – City byAarlan. It’s a superwash merino wool, DK weight, and long ago discontinued. Ibought this yarn via mail-order in the 1980s, and have kept this little stashof it for so long, looking for just the right project. I have only a few ballseach of four bright 80’s colors, and I could never figure out what to do withthem. There wasn’t enough of any one color to make something big, and combiningthe colors would need just the right project. Plus, it was superwash MERINO,which at the time of purchase was something rare and cherished. It’s still aluxury fiber, but it’s more readily available today.

I finally decided it’s time had come, and selected the tealcolor for the legwarmers. I started knitting in October of last year, andalthough it was easy going, I kept having to the knitting aside for more urgentprojects.

I didn’t follow the pattern exactly as written. My row gaugemust not have matched, because if I had worked 12 rounds between decreases,these would have been miles long! I did a few 12 round intervals, then switchedto six, then to four, then back to six. Whatever looked like appropriate legshaping. I kept track by making notes onthe pattern, and finally got the first one finished. I put it on one coldevening while I started the second legwarmer, and already I could feel the difference.

While working on this project, I realized that I do not havea problem at all with “Second Sock Syndrome”. For me, it’s just the opposite.Usually it’s the first sock that is the tedious affair, because from thebeginning I have so much to figure out. How many rounds of ribbing? 10? 12? 1inch? 2? Ok, 2 – write that down. Writedown rounds and keep track of repeats of stitch pattern. Which rounds have legshaping? Write it down. How many rounds for the foot? Write it down. How manystitches left on the toe for Kitchener stitch? Usually, I have a pattern pageor a memo pad full of jottings, hash marks, and hopefully usefully informationlike needle size and stitch counts. All this deciding and calculating andestimating takes extra time.

So once the first sock, or in this case leg warmer, is castoff, I’m ready for smooth sailing on the mate. All the hard work has been done.All I have to do is follow my notes, tick the same number of hash marks, andthe second sock, leg warmer, or mitten, almost flies off the needles.

The leg warmers were finished last week. I wore them oneevening, and they feel wonderful. There is a little drawback that they don’tstay up on bare legs, which I was sort of expecting. But they only droop whenI’m walking around, and not much. So once I’m settled on the sofa, I pull themup and stay comfy cozy.

There was one ball of teal yarn left, and I think I’ll useit and the other bright colors of City for some multi-color socks similar tothe pair in my Etsy avatar. Those were made and sold years ago, and I missthem. They were quirky and fun, and the world needs another pair!

This Week on eBay - Puzzles for Sale!

2012-01-17T19:21:00.000-06:00

I haven’t been very active on eBay lately – there have beenso many other activities that demand my attention. But I've been cleaning out some of mycollections, and decided to list some on eBay and see what happens.

Yesterday I listed six jigsaw puzzles. I love workingpuzzles, and have a large collection. For a while, it was hard to keep track ofthem all, and as a result, I have some duplicates. Four of the puzzles for saleare from Charles Wysocki paintings, and they were doubles of puzzles I alreadyhad. It’s difficult being in the store and seeing a Wysocki puzzle – some ofhis subjects are so similar. “Oh, it’s the one with the pumpkins” “The pumpkinsby the mill?” “No, the pumpkins in the field” Well, better get it just to besure. They sell out fast.

Then there is a vintage Springbok Teddy Bear puzzle. This one wasfrom my Aunt’s estate – she was a puzzle lover as well. Springbok puzzles arewell made, and often feature collectible subjects. They’re also getting ratherexpensive, so a slightly used one would still be a good buy.

Finally, there is a 4D puzzle of the London Skyline. Mybrother gave me this at Christmas, and it was an interesting challenge to puttogether. I’ve never done a puzzle likeit before.

The puzzle auctions end on Monday, January 23. Check them out! Winter is the perfect time to work a puzzle – and it’s a great stressreliever – even the challenging ones!

New at Creativemind - Black Watch Cap

2012-01-08T10:48:00.000-06:00

One of the ways I want to use the blog more this year is tohighlight items that are added to my Etsy shop. Often there’s a reason why Imake something, or a story behind its making. Or sometimes I’m just knitting.Here goes!

This black watch cap was added on January 1. To me, the black ribbed watch cap is aclassic. It conjures up images of merchant seamen or sailors, of robbers or badguys from the movies, or hikers and outdoorsmen. And it’s a unisex style – women can also wearthis cap with ease and comfort.

Besides the classic style, another reason I like to makethese ribbed caps is just that – the ribbing. The standard knit 2, purl 2ribbing is so stretchy that it can accommodate several head sizes. This isespecially nice if the cap is a gift – it’s bound to fit!

The yarn I used for this cap is Berroco Vintage, and it’s anew yarn for me. It’s a blend of wool and acrylic, which makes the yarn easy tocare for. I liked the heft of the yarn, and thought it was very pleasant toknit with.

If you are looking for a standard wardrobe staple, or agreat gift, be sure to check it out!

The Year in Review - Just some Tidbits

2012-01-04T18:34:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! Here we are off and running with newgoals, new aspirations, and new dreams. I didn’t write a list of resolutionsthis year. Several years ago, I sat down with a legal pad, and not only made alist of goals, but actually outlined the steps necessary to meet those goals.It’s a beautiful list – more than six pages long! It’s fun to look at it yearafter year, and see what’s been accomplished, and what hasn’t.

Several months ago I also came across a little notebook thathad a few blank pages in it. I’ve been using it for daily reminders, and willtoss it when I’ve used up the pages. But at the beginning of the notebook aremy 1993 Resolutions. This is even funnier, because in addition to the commongoals of “eat sensibly” and “be frugal” are some that are past their sell-bydate, such as “label all video tapes” and “clip coupons diligently”. A fewpages further in the notebook are some daily accomplishments, including severaldays spent “working on labeling video tapes”. I think now that most of thosetapes are long gone. And my hardcore couponing went by the wayside when Irealized I was spending more money buying name brand items I didn’t necessarilyneed just to use a coupon, when generic was still cheaper, if the item wasneeded at all.

But my topic for today was a look back, not forward. I won’tbore you with the vital statistics of how many grams of yarn I knit up, or howmany books I read, but instead have these few observations to share.

I did knit up a lot of yarn. That was good. More than 20 pounds, more than in2010. But this year I also tracked how much yarn came into the house. Even withbeing on a yarn buying moratorium, it happened. Not in a drunken binge sort ofway, but in very carefully considered purchases. And even though I was veryrestrained, I still purchased almost as much as I knit up. My net use was only20 balls of yarn. For someone trying to bust stash, this is not veryencouraging!

Most of the projects I made in 2011 were not for me. I had severalon the go, but what routinely got finished were items for the Etsy shop, or theCraft Barn, or for gifts. That’s ok, but I’d really like to enjoy more of my efforts.And I’d like to make some of the more complex pieces that require attention andaren’t necessarily good “take-along” projects. Still, I can’t say that I madeanything that I didn’t like working on.

Books – I listened to a lot of audio books in 2011. Istarted with audio books several years ago when I got a treadmill. Trying toread a book or look at a magazine while on it made me dizzy, but the audiobooks held my attention. Often I would go and walk just to hear what happenednext. Eventually I was listening while I cooked, or knit, or cleaned. I workedmy way through the Agatha Raisin series by MC Beaton, and I’m about halfwaythrough her Hamish MacBeth series. These are light mysteries, and they remindme of when I was a youth, devouring the Nancy Drew mysteries. I would check out three or four from the library and read all weekend.

With audio books, the narrators make all the difference. Ienjoyed the readers of the Agatha Raisin series, but was not as impressed withthe readers of Hamish MacBeth. I also tried a Richard Russo novel where thereader was so clinical and sterile that I gave up after an hour, deciding I’drather read the book myself and put my own voice to the characters. Probablythe best audio book I listened to during the year was “Montana, 1948” by LarryWatson, read by Beau Bridges. He did a wonderful job not only ofportraying the characters, but ofsetting the mood, and giving the book the atmosphere of the place and time.

I hope that this year continues to provide new opportunitiesfor enrichment, both creatively and intellectually. I’d like to try to blogmore, of course, so be on the lookout for ramblings on a variety of subjects.You never know what will turn up!

2011-11-24T12:30:00.001-06:00

It's hard to believe another holiday season is upon us. The other day I was looking for some summer photos I'd taken in the back yard, and having a hard time finding them. Turns out they were taken in 2010, not just a few months ago. Where does the time go?

Thanksgiving - today's the day! Turkey, family get-togethers, and for today here in the Midwest - good weather. Not that I have anything against snow - I love it. But it's nice to enjoy one more day of sun and warmth. Last winter was a long one, and this winter will be here soon enough. Since I've been rushing through the days, it's good to have a chance to sit back and enjoy one for a change.

And the biggest rush lately has been to get the Etsy shop ready for the Holiday shopping season. I've been listing lots of new items, and I hope they will be enjoyed by many. I had a chance to go to the Mall of America a week ago, and it was so disappointing. I've really become an alternative shopper. The rows upon rows of stores there with merchandise that was mass produced seemed to lack any sense of presence. There was no heart. Maybe that sounds silly, but when I look at the shops on Etsy, I can see that the items were produced with care and love. And that's what I want for myself, and in gifts for friends and family. Something that exudes care and love, not impersonal materialism.

Back to being thankful. As always, I'm thankful for good health, and family and friends, and the lovely area where I live. And of course, the kitties, who provide constant love and entertainment. And I'm thankful that I no matter what crisis or setback may occur, there always seems to be a way out, or around, or through. That's very important, I think. We can't ask or expect to live perfect, stress-free lives. But having the smarts and the courage to deal with the stresses and imperfections will see us through just about anything. And that's worth giving thanks!

Thankful for sunshine...

Finished!

2011-10-08T12:58:00.000-05:00

The Autumn Socks are finished, and I love them!

This is a close up of the cuff, hopefully to better show the way the shades meld together.

They are perfect socks for fall, and I will rinse them and admire them until November 2, when I will put them on and celebrate my 50th birthday. Can't wait! With socks like this, the day will be sure to be a good one.

Saturday Fun

2011-09-26T19:14:00.000-05:00

Part of my Saturday was spent in the company of this lovely sunflower.

My brother and I drove down to Coon Valley to Norskedalen to see the Threshing Bee. I had never been there before, and the place is quite expansive. Many old homesteads have been moved to the site, and for the most part, it was like walking back in time. We saw the threshing, and corn picking, and then shelling and flailing and grinding. Lots of work just to get a little flour. It's one thing to spend time on a chore or a craft because you enjoy it, and quite another to do it because you need to survive, and feed a family and livestock.

There were also demonstrations of beekeeping, blacksmithing, butter churning, cheesemaking, lefse making and more. There was an antique steam engine turning an ice cream maker. All of the foods made that day tasted wonderful, and it reminded me again that simpler is often better.

It's difficult to live simply, and more slowly, when the concerns of the modern day are all around. Today I rushed through another busy Monday at work, made the equivalent of "instant" food, and will fast forward through commercials in a television program. The pace is frenetic. Not only fast, but frenzied. I try to grab moments of time, but they go by so quickly they don't seem to be enjoyed, let alone even experienced.

This is something to work on; to change for the better. Simplify, simplify.

I've got my work cut out for me...

Charming Socks

2011-09-03T12:38:00.003-05:00

I need to write about my current pair of socks in progress, and at first I wanted to say that they infatuated me, but a romp through the dictionary proved me wrong. An infatuation is a foolish love, and there is nothing foolish about these socks, or the way I feel about them. No, the word that I finally settled on is charming. These socks have charmed me.

There is a bit of serendipity here. I did not buy this yarn on purpose. I happened to stop at a big box hobby store last week, and found loads of yarn on clearance. I bought all the sock yarn, 11 balls, planning to use it for catnip toys and booties and such.

Then on Sunday, I finished a pair of socks for a friend; a pair that, while feeling nice and colorful, was not the nicest pair to make. The yarn was splitty, and it felt finer than normal sock yarn. And that afternoon I was going to a fiber gathering, and you can't go to an event like that without some mindless knitting on the needles. After much consideration, I pulled a ball of Kroy FX yarn out of the pile of sock yarn I'd just purchased, and cast on.

I knew automatically how I would knit these socks. 2x2 ribbing for a couple of inches, then switch to 3x1 ribbing. Simple and serviceable. I decided that these socks would be for me; something I could wear to work with my drab brown uniform.

I got about three inches of knitting done on Sunday, but the enchantment didn't set in until Monday. That day I was able to do a few more inches, and the leg really began to take shape, and the muted color shifts were becoming more evident. They remind me so much of crushed leaves, the kind you find when you walk along a sidewalk in the fall, and it's covered with leaves, and they've been trodden on and flattened, and the colors and textures meld together into a mosaic of brown and gold and copper.

Click to make larger

There's also something substantial about the way these socks feel. They are sturdy. The last pair of socks I knit was soft, and almost delicate in feel. This Kroy yarn, however, the typical wool and nylon blend, while not rough, feels firm and thick and warm. I'm knitting on #1 needles, but I probably could have used #2 needles and still had a decent fabric that wasn't too limp. There's something special about the way these socks feel in my hand, as if they hold a promise that they will keep me safe from winter's chill and be warm and relaxing and comforting.

And really, what more could you ask of handknit socks?

Knitting at 3 a.m.

2011-08-24T22:10:00.001-05:00

More often than I would like, I battle with insomnia. On Monday I was wide awake at 3 a.m., so I decided to be productive. I picked up a nearby skein of yarn, and started this pumpkin cap. It's hard to see from this angle, but the orange cap has ridges similar to a pumpkin shape, and there will be a stem and leaves at the top when it's finished. I got about an inch and a half done before I got drowsy enough to turn off the light.

Although I would rather to getting a good night's sleep, knitting is a much better use of the time than just lying in bed and worrying. And there is something rhythmic about moving the stitches from one needle to the next, and the other repetitive motions that are almost hypnotic.

Cats are lucky, they seem to have no problems with insomnia!

New Digs

2011-08-13T10:42:00.000-05:00

This is another entry from last year that stayed on the jump drive while waiting for photos. Since then I've taken many photos, so I'm finally getting this finished!

July 2010 - Earlier this year I changed vets. It was a tough decision; I'd been taking my cats to the same clinic for the past 25 years. But a change was needed, and so far, the new vet has been very helpful.

Last month she saw Rollie for his annual checkup, and we talked about Rollie's biggest problem, which is his behavior. He is very afraid of some things, like loud noises, and strangers, but sometimes he gets too wound up, and plays too rough with the other cats, or with me. Rusty is just a big, slow-moving bumble, and when Rollie comes flying out of nowhere and jumps on him, he usually ends up getting hurt. Last year he even broke a tooth during a scuffle.

The vet's suggestion for Rollie was give him more attention, and also to get him a cat tree, so that he could have a high place to perch, and feel dominant, and a house to hide in to feel safe.

Now, I'm not a big fan of cat trees, because most are made with carpeting, and I don't like carpeting at all. I'd pull it off all my floors if there was anything even remotely decent underneath (there's not - there's old cracked linotile from the 50's - probably the kind with asbestos in it).

I started shopping, and I found a website that offered trees in dozens of configurations, most with sisal posts and fleece covering, instead of carpet. Some were huge, with many levels and hammocks and ropes for climbing. I selected one that looked like it would work for my kitties.

It came well packed, with very easy directions, and I put it together and set it up in the living room. As soon as it was set in place, Rusty made a move and climbed into the house and gave me a look that said "Well, it's about time you did this - I've been waiting for ages".

For the first four days it was Rusty's house, and Rollie was back on the floor, looking very put out. I'd get ready for work in the morning, and by the time I had to leave, Rusty was in the house and Rollie was sulking. I'd come home and Rusty was in the treehouse and Rollie was on the floor.

Then something happened. I don't know what. I wasn't there to witness it. But suddenly Rollie had control of the entire cat tree, and Rusty was hobbling around and very grumpy. It's been like that ever since. Every now and then Rusty gets in the treehouse, but as soon as Rollie notices, there's a tussle. You'd think that since it has several levels, that everyone could just pick a spot and get along, but not my bunch. Lily hardly even goes near it.

Eventually, I'll probably get another one for the sunroom, because I'm getting used the this one and not finding it too unattractive. The problem though, seems to be that a lot of the models on the website have very steep jumps from level to level, and my cats don't climb like kittens would. I think these trees would be great for kittens. But for arthritic old Rusty, he needs something with a bit more slope, and a bigger landing pad. And the house could be bigger. I'll have to see if I want to get this same model again, or try a different one.

One thing I do like about this company is that you can order any piece individually, so that if your cats comepletely tear up one of the posts or levels, you can just replace that piece instead of buying a whole new unit.

August 2011 - After having this tree for almost a year, I can say it was certainly worth the money. Rollie is on it several times a day. Sometimes he charges up to the top so fast and with so much vigor I'm worried he'll tip it over, but he never has. I've been able to clean the fleece with a cat brush and the vacuum, and it's only a little worse for wear. Rusty does manage to hang out in the house every now and again, but he sticks out each opening! And I even saw Lily go on it a few times, all by herself, but as soon as she realized I was watching, off she ran. Has it changed Rollie's behavior? I think so. Look how content he is!

Christmas in July?

2011-07-27T18:34:00.000-05:00

I've never really understood the concept of Christmas in July. It seems like a flimsy excuse to have a party, and gives big business another reason to have a sale. I think summer should be enjoyed for that it is, and leave Christmas in December.

However, any serious knitter will tell you that doing some Christmas knitting in July is a very good idea. If you intend to give knitted gifts, start them now, or else fall back on really small knitting, like headbands, washcloths, and cell phone cozies. And then worry when your best friend gives you a really stunning piece of jewelry and your gift to them is a set of knitted mug coasters. If only you had more time...

This year my Christmas in July knitting is focused on Christmas stockings. I love to make Christmas stockings! They can be so festive. They can be any size, which is great for using up leftovers or precious yarns. There's only one, so no "second sock syndrome" unless you really want to make two that match.

Some of the first items I ever listed in my Etsy shop were Christmas stockings. They followed a design that I made for all my gifts that year - ragg wool stockings in color variations or red, green, and cream. I loved making them.

I also like to make small stockings, in many little sizes, that can be used as ornaments on the tree, or hung anywhere around the house. For these, in addition to the traditional Christmas colors, I like to use other colors, and other textures. I like to hang small stockings on as many doorknobs as I can, as well as on the tree!

My challenge, in knitting Christmas stockings, is in the patternwork. I love the patterned stockings, but in multicolor knitting, this can often mean long floats of yarn on the wrong side of the work. This is not ideal for a stocking that's actually going to be filled with gifts. Corners and edges can catch on the floats and snag, or get stuck. What fun is that?

I could make fabric linings and sew them inside the stockings. But the idea of that just doesn't thrill me, even though I do like to sew. Maybe someday I will try it. Until then, my answer is to find color patterns tah only have a maximum three-stitch carry. That eliminates longer floats.

This pattern met the need. It reminds me of an overshot weaving pattern. The other thing I like about it is that it doesn't jog as the rounds change, which can be very noticeable in some stitch patters. This stocking turned out a little long, and I could have shortened the leg and the foot just a bit, but I was stubborn and knit to the end of a pattern repeat. Plenty of room for an extra gift or two!

These stockings will be going in the Etsy shop soon, even though it's not anywhere near Christmas. In addition, I'll be adding some fluffy berets, and some woolen headbands. Maybe looking at cold weather knits will help alleviate the heat!

I've already found my next simple stitch pattern for a stocking, and may get started on it this weekend. Can't wait!

Oh, We're Having a Heat Wave!

2011-07-19T19:36:00.001-05:00

I am not a hot weather person. Give me a wool sweater any day! Winter is my favorite season, following by autumn, then spring, and summer comes in last, mostly because of days like this. Hot, humid, in the 90’s or higher, with a heat index that’s well over the century mark.

This morning, walking outside at 7 am was like stepping into a bowl of hot soup. I expected to see fish in the air instead of birds. The trek from the car to the office door, carrying my three bags plus an armload of heavy mail left me feeling crushed and out of breath. Maybe I needed gills…

A week or so ago, we had two of those halcyon summer days, where you could stand in the sun and feel warm, and sit in the shade and feel cool. You could work up a sweat by doing heavy manual labor, but not by just standing outside. A light breeze was enough relief, and the open windows let in the cool night air, so you could actually sleep comfortably with a blanket on. Those two days would be my ideal summer season. If only every summer day was that perfect.

During this heat wave, I’ve been spending most of my time indoors. I would love to go out and pull weeds and tend the flower beds, but they will just have to manage on their own until the humidity drops. Until then, I’ll be trying to clean up inside, and get my sunroom ready for painting. Bookcases need to be emptied and the books moved somewhere else temporarily, while I sand, and prime and paint. And maybe by the time I get to the painting, the windows will be able to be open again, which would be very good indeed.

The flowers don't mind the heat...

But the camera does...this ethereal bloom is the result of a fogged over lens

The Fruits of My Labor

2011-07-17T19:27:00.001-05:00

I love to garden, but it's been quite a while since I've had a big enough garden to raise enough to have surplus to "put by".

Without planning ahead, I decided this year that I would go berry picking. There are a number of patches of wild black raspberries at my workplace, and there were a fair number in the back yard this year as well. The yard berries would have been enough to have on ice cream every night, but I spent a few afternoons adding to that by picking berries after work. My canning book told me I would need 3 quarts of berries to make enough juice for one batch.

Last weekend I cleaned and cooked the berries, and added some blueberries from the store as well. I strained the slurry through a jelly bag suspended over a large bowl, and ended up with enough juice to make two batches of jelly.

It took a little work to hunt for the right jars and lids in the basement, and clean out the big boiling water canner and utensils. But as I worked I remembered just how much I enjoy it. I canned the first batch of jelly last weekend, and finished the second batch today. These will make nice Christmas gifts, if I can bear to part with them! This jelly is sweet, but has that tart bite that wild berries are know for. My favorite combination!

Daisy, Daisy....

2011-07-05T16:00:00.001-05:00

Remember that lone daisy from last fall? Well, this is how that "field" looked not too long ago.

The daisy fields are blooming. This is the part of the yard by the driveway, and it was in full bloom over Memorial Day weekend. I've since had to mow it down, but now the daisies in front of the house and over on the west side are doing the same thing. They bloom a little later, for some reason.

I've always said that I'd like to replace all the grass with flowers, so I wouldn't have to mow. I guess these blooms heard that! They are doing their best to take over the yard. It's a little difficult though, because in some places, they are very patchy, and the grass is still putting up a good fight. I'd like to make some new beds, and try and corral them, along with some of the other prolific perennials, but I haven't gotten very far. Little by little, I guess. In the meanwhile, I like the wild, overwhelming spirit these daisies possess!

Do Not Squander Time...

2011-06-29T14:19:00.001-05:00

…for that is the stuff life is made of. Ben Franklin

I had a really nice weekend. The weather was pretty good. I got some work done in the yard and around the house, but I didn’t go overboard and try to do too much. There were a few weekends earlier in the Spring when I worked close to 10 hours outside on Saturday, then paid for it on Sunday with total exhaustion.

It was still cool enough to bake, so on Saturday morning I made banana bread to use up a mushy banana, and threw in a meager picking of strawberries too. It turned out quite well. After years of making banana bread that I just didn’t like, I returned to a recipe that I learned in 7^th grade, from the Betty Crocker Cookbook, and that’s the only one I make now.

On Sunday I made a cream cheese quiche with onion and bacon. I seem to be on a quiche kick – this is the second one I’ve made in two weeks. Both were very good!

So where does the squandering of time come in? Well, in knitting, unfortunately. I had been gifted with some needlework supplies earlier in the week, and among the needlepoint canvas and crewel yarn was a variety of colors of Red Heart acrylic. My first thought was to put the Red Heart in the box I have going to Goodwill. But then I thought maybe I would use some of the colors for slippers, and add some of my coned yarn to liven them up a bit. Or make a child’s sweater.

I spent too much time thinking about this yarn, searching for an appropriate pattern, starting the project, and then realizing what I knew all along, that it just wouldn’t be a nice finished product. And I knew this going in, so why couldn’t I stop myself?

I guess it comes from the old “waste not, want not” philosophy. Even though I hadn’t spent money for the yarn, or maybe because I hadn’t spent money on the yarn, if I could make something good with it, I would be at an advantage.

But life really is too short not to work with good yarn. So I will happily take this to the Goodwill on Friday, and who knows, maybe I will find some treasure there. Maybe not yarn, but maybe a cute summer top, or a book I’ve been wanting to read, or the perfect size teapot that’s also easy to clean.

With a long weekend coming up, there will be plenty of time to do good things: a little cleaning, a little visiting with family, and a lot of knitting. And if I squander time, I hope it’s only to take a really good nap!

Rusty is the king of naps!

Summer Sweater

2011-06-22T20:11:00.000-05:00

Last winter I enjoyed wearing this wool sweater around the house. It kept me warm. Truth be told, it was a little roomy, but oh so comfy.

I decided a cotton version would make a nice summer sweater. Something I could throw on if the air conditioning got too chilly, or on a cool summer evening. I wanted to make another top-down raglan, but I wanted the finished cardigan to not be so loose.

I read through the design sections of Wendy Bernard’s “Custom Knits”, and followed her formula for calculating the cast on. I decided I wanted a v-neck, and may have fudged a little on getting that started, but I figured the neck and front edging would help work ease out any jogs or width issues.

Years ago, when Lion Brand discontinued their Cotton-Ease yarn (it’s since been reintroduced), I bought up a bunch of it on clearance in two shades of blue. I picked the lighter shade, and decided that I wanted a textured stitch pattern. I didn’t see any in my stitch dictionaries that said “knit me”, but I saw something similar to this one in a photo. I charted out what I thought was an interesting texture, and knit a swatch. I even tried adding a spreckled blue coned yarn I had for extra interest, but it made the fabric too stiff. I wanted soft and drapey.

As I knit, and started shaping the neck opening, I added the new stitches to the stitch pattern right away, rather than wait until I had a full 8 stitch repeat. This still gives definition to the raglan seam lines, but does not make a jagged looking wedge of knitting.

At this point, I’m still shaping to the top of the sweater, and getting to the antsy stage. I know it’s not deep enough to cover the arms yet, but I don’t want to make too deep of an arm syce. Also, this stitch pattern is actually a ribbing variation, so its tendency is to pull in, making it look like the sweater will be way too small. It makes me not trust my calculations. I’m worried that my sweater won’t fit me, but a child instead. However, I’ve been stretching out little sections, like across the arm, and when I do that, it looks fine.

As today is the first day of summer, my hopes for finishing this sweater before fall are iffy. I’m still working on the first ball on yarn! That’s great, and means that I should have plenty of yarn to make this sweater with some left over. But it does mean I have a long way to go. And with so many other projects on the needles, I don’t want to see this one get put aside. Tonight I hope to finish the first ball of yarn, and do some measuring. So far, so good!

Resolutions

2011-06-19T21:33:00.001-05:00

The blog has been at a standstill for a while now, and here’s the reason why. I wrote the following back in January, and thought I needed to add some photos to go with it. But I stalled at adding the photos, never having the two jump drive in the same place at the same time, remembering too late at night, etc.

And since then, many really good blog entries have written themselves in my head, but I really wanted this entry to precede them, so they sat and stagnated.

So I’m finally getting this January Resolution out there, and maybe after this I can get back to the fun knitting blather…

From January -

I’ve been trying to think of how I’m going to jump back into blogging, and I guess I’d better just do it! Even though it’s almost the end of January, I’m still trying to plan out the year, in many ways. The following areas come to mind: work, home projects, money, needlework, organizing. No need to go into the work stuff here. As for the others…

Home projects: I stopped blogging in late summer because life got a little hectic. My brother Tom got started on another renovation project for me. We replaced the last of the old windows in my house with new double hung windows. This was a big undertaking, and it’s not quite finished. It’s up to me now to sand and paint the interior walls of the sunroom while my brother plans what kind of interior trim work he will make. I have the paint and other supplies; I just need to get moving.

Money: I am still trying to get my finances in order so that I can retire when the time comes and not feel panicked. I made progress last year, and that’s encouraging. There’s still a lot more to do, and changing habits is an ongoing process.

Needlework: I accomplished quite a bit last year, but I could work on knitting, crocheting, sewing, and others all day long and still never achieve all my goals. This is one area I’m still trying to sort out.

Organizing: There is still too much stuff in my house. And it’s still way too disorganized. I keep a box out all the time for Goodwill donations, and have a nice stack of boxes set aside for an upcoming garage sale. However, as I’ve said before, this is almost another hobby, and one I could work on all day long as well.

Finally: I’ve been thinking a lot lately about personal privacy. On the one hand, while it’s fun to share all my activities, trials, achievements, and experiences, and get feedback and encouragement, I’ve started to feel that maybe too much information is being shared. I have very few blog followers; just a few friends and relatives, so the likelihood of having my privacy invaded is small. But with the glut of social media these days, it just seems like everyone is rushing to share their most personal thoughts and feelings with a whole universe of total strangers, without realizing the potential consequences. It’s overwhelming. I can read blogs that I think are about knitting and suddenly they go down the path of child rearing, or politics, or mental and physical disabilities. And while I understand that we are not one-dimensional, it feels like someone has just blurted out some inappropriate remark or had a private conversation overheard.

All the information that we are bombarded with on a daily basis is too overwhelming; it’s giving me the desire to withdraw from the hectic, fast paced frenzy of it more than ever. I’ve been thinking about Emily Dickinson, and her reclusive life, and wondering if would work for me. Can I be a recluse with a blog? Seems contradictory, doesn’t it?

Well, I think I might just try it. After all, even though Emily was reclusive, she was a prolific correspondent. And even if I just stick to writing about knitting, and maybe throw in a photo of a cat or some garden flowers, I still should have plenty to write about!

Here's the Way It Is...

2010-12-29T18:49:00.001-06:00

She says she's going to blog more. Yeah right. She also promised me she'd brush me everyday. Ha! I heard the computer keyboard clacking, but I think she's just wasting time googling obscure trivia.

Ok, she did brush me twice last week. Better than nothing. But blogging? Not gonna happen, at least not just yet. Frankly I wish she would start up again, because I'm tired of her telling me all the stuff she usually writes down. All I want are more cat treats. Not too much too ask.

Maybe she'll read this and follow my good example. If not, well, I'm not to blame. I tried. Those other slackers that live here didn't even lift a paw.

Crazy Daisy

2010-10-27T20:51:00.000-05:00

This little flower in my front yard doesn't seem to know that it's almost November in Wisconsin, and that we are having a doozie of a windstorm today - and maybe a little snow tonight.

Hope springs eternal...

And coming soon - a return to regular blogging - really!

Hope does spring eternal after all...

What Would You Do??

2010-07-05T14:21:00.000-05:00

I seem to be having a problem with insects this year. First earwigs invaded the mailbox, and now this.

I got rid of the earwigs with the hose, and then spritzed the mailbox with bug spray so they wouldn't be tempted to return. The wet weather we're having has made them even more prevalent than ants. They are everywhere. And I don't like them. At all.

And now I have this lovely, perfectly round paper wasp nest. Right above the back door! Last week it was only as big as a golf ball. And actually, I wondered if it was old, because I didn't see any wasps around. Different story today. It's now as big as a softball, and every time the back door is closed, it sends them swarming out of the nest. I didn't get stung, but I figure it's only a matter of time before they get me, or a visitor, or one of the cats.

So they have to go. Later this evening, I'll douse the nest with spray, and again tomorrow morning for good measure. I hate using spray, because I feel like I'm being poisoned too, no matter how careful I am. I don't even like putting on mosquito spray, because it always seems to get in my mouth. But some times, it has to be done.

To end on a brighter note, here are all three kitties, sharing a peaceful moment in the sunshine. They usually don't get this close unless they're huddling together for warmth!

June is Busting Out All Over!

2010-06-30T19:41:00.002-05:00

With all the rain we've had the past few weeks, my jungle of a backyard is even more lush than ever. The vegetable garden was taken over this year by the hollyhocks, and it's just lovely.

I was a bit worried, because last year all the hollyhocks seemed to be washed out shades of yellow and pink. I thought maybe they were all spent, and it was time for new seed. But this year they came on with these brilliant shades of magenta, fuchsia, and coral, as well as pink and yellow.

And this evening while I had the cats out, I took Rollie for a little stroll, and we were quickly berated by a pair of robins. Seems we were getting too close to their little ones - in my Mulberry tree, perched right above the mailbox...

This has to be a second batch. I never saw any little ones from an earlier hatch, but with all the other cats in the neighborhood running loose, I guess I'm not surprised. I hope these three, or four, can make it.

So that's June - all green and growing and full of life!

Three Good Things for Monday

2010-06-21T19:03:00.001-05:00

Mondays are hard. I never seem to leap out of bed on Monday morning, all bright-eyed and ready for another week. Today, as usual, I had to drag myself out of bed, and I started off thinking about what I didn't accomplish over the weekend, and what I had in front of me for the week.

Today was a timecard day, which isn't difficult, just time consuming. And then our maintenance guy's computer wouldn't work, so it took a while to get that going again, and then another computer had issues, and one of the databases I needed to work in wouldn't let me log in. So even though it was quiet because half the staff was gone today, it was a bit of a challenge.

Usually on a Monday I come home and crash, and if I can find the strength, I pick up the knitting needles and stare at TV for the evening, or take a bath, and maybe go to bed early.

That's a routine I'd like to change, but it's going to take some time.

For the past few weeks, I've been catching up with Crazy Aunt Purl's blog. I started reading it a few years ago, after her interview on the Knitpick's podcast. But starting with the current pages for that time period was like walking into the middle of the movie. I had to go back to the very beginning, and wow, is that woman prolific! After reading for a while I had to take a break. For the past few weeks I've gone back to it and finally got caught up to the present day. Whew.

One of the things Laurie does periodically is list "Three Good Things" which helps put a positive spin on the day. So I thought I would borrow this in my attempt to start turning Mondays around. Here goes!

1. Crock Pots - this is an especially good one for Monday. If I come ready to plant my face in the sofa, the last thing I want to do is cook. But yesterday I managed to get that piece of brisket marinated, so this morning I slipped it into the crockpot, and when I got home I had a wonderful, succulent supper, and all I had to do was heat up some veggies and I was good to go. Yum!

2. My Three Cats - I will try really hard not to put them on every "good things" list, but they do have to go on the first one, or they will stop speaking to me. They are in the living room now, waiting for me to give them treats and my undivided attention. All weekend Lily was very cuddly and ready to snuggle up every time I sat down, and she's so sweet all the time.

3. Air conditioning - last summer I got my air conditioner replaced, and I decided this year that I am not going to feel guilty about using it. It's a luxury I didn't have when I was growing up, and I know a lot of people who deliberately don't turn their air on until it is suffering hot. Not me. Don't get me wrong, I love having the windows open and feeling the breeze, but not if that breeze is humid! Even having it run a little bit helps get that humidity out of the house, and helps me sleep better, and that's a very good thing.

So there - three good things. You know what? It does help!

I'm off to the sofa now...because who can resist this smile?

Moo...

2010-06-18T17:45:00.002-05:00

There’s a cow in my fridge! Well, not a whole cow, but the largest piece of beef that I’ve ever worked with.

One of my favorite restaurants is Famous Dave’s, a regional chain of rib joints. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal there, and most of the food is smoked or barbecued. One item on their menu is Texas Brisket, and it’s very good. The meat is lean and tender and very tasty.

I’ve found several recipes for slow-cooked brisket, and I wanted to try cooking some on my own. But when I asked at the local grocery, which has a pretty good meat department, they told me that they didn’t get regular brisket from their supplier, only the corned beef variety. I needed to check with an actual butcher shop.

Now there is a meat market in the next town, but I would either forget to stop, or only remember about it when they were closed. And I figured it would be kind of pricey, so I put it out of my mind.

But it’s Farmer’s Market season here in Wisconsin, and one of the local beef farmers comes to our weekly event in the park. I was surprised to find brisket on their price list, so I asked them to bring some. Yesterday I picked it up, and I had a choice of three different sizes. The biggest package looked the trimmest, so that’s what I got – one big six pound brisket! It’s in the fridge thawing right now, and it’s even too big for the 9X13 cakepan lid.

I’m going to cut it in half and try one recipe this weekend, and then refreeze the other part for the next time I have a chance to cook. Some of the recipes I’ve found do actually call for a six pound brisket, but I’m just a little leery of cooking the much meat all at once. It might just fit in my large roasting pan, but that’s way too much meat for just me! It might be great for a party, but I’m not planning a party any time soon. Plus if the recipe I try is no good, then I’ve wasted it all. Besides, I don’t generally “light the oven” when it’s hot enough to run the air conditioning.

“Light the oven” is a hand-me-down phrase from my mom. We never had a gas stove or oven, but she had one back in her Pittsburgh days, so even when she pre-heated our electric oven it was “lit”.

I’m going to try my first recipe in the crockpot and see how it turns out. If it’s even half as good as Famous Dave’s, I’ll be happy!

So Much to Do...

2010-06-15T19:54:00.001-05:00

I feel like I’m behind in my yardwork. Of course, this is true, because there is always more trimming, weeding, transplanting, and mulching to do. And it’s been raining since last Thursday afternoon, so even when it’s not raining, it’s too wet to mess around outside.

And this time of year, when there’s so much outside work to do, I always get behind on my inside work. Yesterday I was doing laundry, and looking at the piles of clean linens that needed a place to live, and clothes that need ironing, and the ironing board that needs a new cover, and it was very overwhelming. My quest to make a place for everything that’s necessary is not going so well. Even with the extra storage space in the Klik-klaks, and a small linen closet, there are still sheets and quilts and other linens that don’t have a home.

Clearly, it’s time to get busy – again!

Last night I cleaned out my bathroom cupboard, and put all the extra toiletries and such in a box to be stored in the basement (I may never have to buy lotion again). I also started a box for rummage or donation, and when I was done, I had moved some of the items that shouldn’t be in the linen closet into the bathroom cupboard where they belonged, and still had half a shelf empty. I still have more to move out of the linen closet, but maybe then I can at least get the summer sheets and the rest of the towels put away properly.

On the knitting front, I finished Rusty’s cat bed, and started the fulling process. I washed the bed on hot, then rinsed in cold. I saved the water from the first wash, and sent it through the hot and cold again. Then I dried it in the dryer at the high setting, which I don’t think I’ve ever used before.

The photo is pre-fulling. I didn’t measure, but it doesn’t look like it shrunk much this first go-round. It does feel very nice, and it’s still plenty big enough for Rusty, but it’s nowhere near stiff enough to hold a bowl shape.

I also managed to pick up stitches and start the pouch on the Wonderful Wallaby that I’m making for my friend Jenny’s little girl. The yarn is "Wisdom - Inspire" (discontinued) self striping, and although I initially thought the lavender stripes looked too gray, overall I think it’s looking very pretty. This will be my third Wallaby – all three have been toddler size. One day I’m going to make one for myself, even though I don’t like pouches and I don’t always like hoods. They’re just fun to knit!

Knitting in Fits and Starts

2010-06-09T20:56:00.002-05:00

I’d planned to spend most of the Memorial Day Weekend Knitting and relaxing. For the most part, I did just that, but it was not always the success it could have been.

On Friday, I started looking through old knitting magazines, and checking on Ravelry to see which projects were popular or how they were interpreted by other knitters. I found a simple scarf pattern that I realized would make a nice Christmas gift. I perused the stash, and decided to use up some more of the Unger Shades yarn. I cast on and knit away, the scarf growing almost 8 inches the first evening.

On Saturday, I was invited to my sister’s house for a cookout. I packed my little knitting bag with two small projects – a pair of baby booties not yet started, and yarn and needles to make more washcloths. I really wanted to work on the booties, so I found a comfy lawn chair in the shade (it was almost 90!) and cast on. I’d finished the base of the first bootie and picked up stitches for the sides, when I realized that I’d brought a set of needles that were a size too small. If I kept going, I’d end up with a cast iron boot, stiff and inflexible, and not very appealing.

So I put that project aside, and picked up the washcloth cotton. No problems there, and after eating and cleaning up, I finished the cloth and headed for home.

Back to the scarf. I worked a few more rows on Sunday, and by Monday it was over a foot long. However, although I loved the subtle color changes, the look of the yarn itself was not good. There were a few places where either a thick spot or thin spot in the yarn stood out, looking very “beginner knitter”. And the fuzziness of the yarn had a matte look to it, instead of a shimmer. But the worst thing was that the fuzzy yarn seemed to be a magnet for lint, cat hair, perhaps even dust. It looked as if I had used the scarf as a duster before I even finished it! Not the best look for a potential gift.

On Monday, I found the appropriate size needles and got the baby booties moving again. Then I ripped out the scarf, and pondered. I was trying to clean up the living room of knitting debris, and I came across the leftover blue wool from my cardigan project. I decided that these two yarns together would make a great KittyPi. I found pattern and needles and set to work. By the end of the day I had worked to the last increase round, and it was finally looking like a good use for the Unger Shades. After all, if the yarn attracts cat hair, why not use it for a cat project?

I still would like to make the ribbed scarf, and I’m sure if I mull it over for a while, the right yarn will present itself. It usually does!

In the Spotlight!

2010-05-03T18:59:00.002-05:00

I'm very pleased and excited to tell you that my knitting has been featured on not one but two websites this week!

The first is a new website that was established to help Etsy Artists promote their shops. This site will be promoted on the social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. I think that's great, because I keep hearing on the Etsy teams that such promotion is necessary for boosting sales, but I just don't have the time or desire to tackle such a task. I'd rather knit!

For the launch of their website, from now until May 9, they chose my shop to help represent their Pets category. My catnip toys are one of my bestellers, and I love making them. I'm very pleased about this. Thanks!

The other website is a great blog by "CreativewithClay", another artist on Etsy. Charan has a beautiful blog, and once a week he has a color theme. I was able to offer up something for this week's theme, which was Mustard Yellow. Check it out!

These moments in the spotlight give me a nice affirmation that what I'm making is appealing and well-liked, and those are compliments I'll take anytime!

Finally, here's Rusty, who says "Thank goodness she doesn't think I'm mustard yellow. I'm pure Butterscotch!"

Spring Means Spring Cleaning...

2010-04-18T20:31:00.003-05:00

Spring is here, and I’m faced with another round of cleaning out closets and drawers and getting ready for the Village-wide Rummage Sale later this month. This year, it’s a little easier. I watch a taped episode of Hoarders, then I head for the basement buoyed by the feeling that unless I get rid of so much dead weight, I’ll be controlled by my stuff instead of the other way around.

Ok, I’m nowhere near bad enough to get on the TV program, but it just makes a person think. I don’t remember growing up in a house packed full of dirty junk, but for sure, my mom was a saver. Growing up during the Great Depression, she never threw out anything that could be of use. And she was a magician at making use of the most unlikely objects. But every now and again, there would be a day for a good clear-out, and the cupboards would empty of the dregs, and the saving would start afresh. I still remember the time we decided to clear out the fruit cellar of all the glass jars that weren’t “official” canning jars. Curbside pick-up of recycling had just started in our town, and our yard was chock full of box after box of glass jars in every shape, color, and size imaginable. It took quite a while for the recycling guys to load it all on the truck.

Last July, I wrote about renting a storage unit, and cleaning up the house, and how I thought I could get the clutter sorted out and done away with in six months. DREAM ON! At the end of that blog post, I mentioned that my unnecessary spending almost stopped because I finally realized I just didn’t have room. Well, that’s still sort of true. I did stop buying trivial little stuff. In fact, by the end of the year, I almost stopped shopping all together. And since the beginning of the year, I’ve tried really hard to think before I open my wallet.

But that hasn’t helped with the items I already possess. There are still too many boxes in the basement, and they are still too disorganized. And the storage unit is still way too full. I brought a few boxes back, but I barely made a dent in trying to empty it.

Hopefully in the next few weeks I can be ruthless about letting go of the things that I obviously can get along without. And more importantly, that I can organize what I keep so that I can make better use of it. I have been selling some items on eBay for the last month or so, but after the upcoming Garage Sale, I hope to just haul 90% or better of the leftovers to Goodwill. So I couldn’t get that storage unit cleaned out in six months, but if I work hard, maybe I can make it in a year….the clock is ticking!

Anybody need anything?

In Case You Were Wondering...

2010-03-14T19:16:00.001-05:00

…about that funny looking color change in my blue sweater? Mentioned in this blogpost...

And I said I’d talk about it later? Ok, well, now is the time. But first, I want to point out that everything else pictured in that blog post has been finished! Progress, yes indeed.

But about that sweater…well…

I bought that yarn probably 20 years ago. I can’t even remember where. I never bothered to check the dye lots before I started this started project, because I knew better than to buy yarn in different dye lots. Really I did.

Except that I also like bargains, and chances are this yarn was from some bargain bin, and I bought it knowing that the dye lots were different, but thinking I’d use it for two smaller projects, or for weaving, or who knows what. Back in those days, I bought yarn for a variety of reasons, without any real plan in mind.

Fast forward to the present, and I decided that this yarn’s time had come, and happily wound the first hank into a ball and started knitting away without brothering to check the tiny labels.

It’s a rookie mistake, and I can’t believe I made it after all these years. And if you look at the photos, it is noticeable. And I don’t have enough of either dyelot on it’s own to make the sweater. And I surely wasn’t going to rip it out anyway. If I ripped it out, I wouldn’t be reknitting it, that’s for sure.

So I’m knitting on, and chalking it up to experience. I never intended for this to be a sweater to be worn any place special – just something to keep warm in and wear around the house. And who knows, maybe those blues will bleed into each other over time, and a few warm water soaks. Or maybe they’ll get worse.

I’ve started the sleeves now, and the one thing I did do was check the labels now, so that each sleeve will at least be the same, even if they don’t match what’s already been knit.

The yarn, by the way, is Twitchell Mills 2-ply wool. It’s got a rough texture, rather rustic compared to all the fine wools produced today. But I know from the test swatch that it will soften and bloom with washing, and will turn into a very nice finished garment. Not something you’d want next to the skin, but perfect for a cardigan to keep out the chill. I started this sweater last July, and what I should have done all along was make myself knit two rows a day. I would have finished it long before now. I’ll have to try that sometime, and see if it really works!

Rethinking My Knitting Priorities Yet Again

2010-03-05T11:17:00.000-06:00

The Knitting Olympics have come to a close, and I must admit, I didn’t achieve the successes that I’d hoped for.

I did make a lot of catnip toys. That was one success. 30 catnip toys more than stuffed a half gallon canning jar. I did get one project ripped out; part of Ravelry’s “Aerial Unwind”. Now that yarn can go back in the bin until I decide to make something else.

But I didn’t finish even one of the Nordic Knitting projects that I’d lined up to work on during the Olympics events. I’m almost done with the Selbu Modern hat, and will probably finish it up in an evening, now that the pressure is off.

What pressure? Well, the pressure of being tied to one or two particular projects, and not having the freedom to work on whatever I liked. There were several projects that I wanted to work on, but because they were already started, they really didn’t fit in with the Ravelympics rules. One was a pair of socks that was in the home stretch. They had been on the needles for months, and a few more days wasn’t going to matter that much. But they nagged at me, and I finally broke down and finished them. Even though that kind of broke my Ravelympic spirit, it gave me a sense of accomplishment. And it made me consider my knitting priorities.

And right now, my priorities seem to be these:

1. To knit for the Etsy Shop, and the Craft Barn. I thought that maybe time away from “production knitting” would be a good thing, but it wasn’t. I like knitting things for the shop. It’s fun. There are some projects that I can knit over and over and over and I never really tire of them. Or if I do I can take a break and come back to them another time. And I have new ideas that I want to try, and experiment with, and see if they will sell.

2. To finish the two sweaters on the pins for myself. I have a wool cardigan more than half done, and a mohair/wool pullover that needs some attention. The cardigan is more than half done, and the pullover is coming along. I’d like to at least wear the cardigan a few times before air conditioning weather gets here!

3. To knit to use up stash. I don’t intend to buy any new yarn this year (well, ok, I did buy 10 balls in January, but with a particular project in mind). I’m still working on getting the stash organized, and it’s a little sad to think of yarns that I bought 20 or more years ago still sitting on the shelf. So I’m trying a First In, First Out plan of attack when I can. The wool for the blue cardigan was an example of that. Perfectly good yarn, purchased 20 years ago, and why hadn’t I used it sooner? It will make a wonderfully warm sweater.

4. To knit for gift giving. I really need to get moving on this. My plan for Christmas 2010 is to make a variety of items – socks, hats, bags, scarves, etc, and take them all in a big basket to the Christmas gathering, and let the family pick out what they would like. That way I still have fun the fun of making gifts, without the anxiety of “will it fit”, “is it the right color”, “is it something they will like”. I thought that putting together a nice stockpile of items would help see me through any gift giving occasion. But I need to get moving to make it happen!

Now that we are tilting toward Spring, I feel the need to make changes. To be more organized. I think reviewing these knitting priorities will help me keep my goals in sight, and not feel so overwhelmed by all the projects I take on. We shall see!

Ready, Set, Knit!

2010-02-12T11:09:00.000-06:00

It's not as if I don't knit every day, unless I'm very ill. But starting tonight, the knitting will be special. Why? Well, I'm competing in the Olympics! The Knitting Olympics, that is.

The idea of the Knitting Olympics, which will run concurrently with the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, is to knit something personally challenging, whether it be trying a new technique, making a complex pattern, or perhaps even designing a project from start to finish.

Two websites are hosting the event. The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, coordinator of the original event, has a link where folks can sign up and list their goals.

And on the Ravelry website, there's an entire forum, with 30 events, dozens of teams, and over 6,000 participants.

My challenge will be to make as many Nordic style stranded knitting projects as I can during the 17 day period. There are also a few little projects that will fill in, and it should be a full schedule of knittin, with my day job and routine chores packed in alongside. Right now I have four projects set up and ready to go, casting on during the opening ceremonies. I may choose different projects along the way, but I'm hoping that not only will I get to enjoy some two-color knitting, which I love, I will also eliminate some stash, which is also very important. More about stash busting will be forthcoming.

I'm hoping of course to take photos as I go, but I might not have another blog post until the Olympics are over, at the end of the month. I want to fill the time with as much knitting as possible. Of course, that may not always be possible, but here's hoping!

Where Did This Come From?

2010-01-31T17:08:00.004-06:00

Ok, I know I have my forgetful moments, just like the next person, but today I was flabbergasted.

I was on a search today, for a box of yarn that seemed to have gone AWOL. It was yarn I was trying to sell on Etsy, only it wasn't stored with my other Etsy items. In fact, I couldn't find it anywhere. I searched all over upstairs. I searched downstairs where I try not to put yarn anymore. I even went over to the storage unit and searched there, although I was pretty sure I wouldn't have put it there. Pretty sure.

The missing yarn never turned up, and my only conlcusion was that I sold it last September at my sister's garage sale. Either that, or it's going to appear when I least expect it. Like that's never happened before.

While I was looking through boxes and totes at the storage unit, I found several balls of yarn to bring back. I've been getting more of the stash inventoried, and these balls had companions all present and counted for up in the studio. I also brought back a box that seemed to have a few projects and a lot of loose needles in it. I could get those put away too.

When I got the box home, where it was much warmer, I emptied it and put the items where they belonged. And at the bottom of the box, this project was hiding.

I have no idea when I started this. Probably right after I got the book "Fair Isle Mittens & Gloves" by Carol Rasmussen Noble. The book was not with the project, but I had photocopied the pattern pages, and I recognized where they came from. The glove was about 3/4 done, and approaching the top of the snowflake. The stitches had been placed on a long circular needle, as if I needed the DPNs, and switched to this for the time being. About a third of the stitches had been pulled off, which made me cringe a little.

The needle was a #2, and I couldn't believe I would have knit this fine shetland yarn on #2 needles. What was I thinking? That couldn't be right.

Even though I had plenty of other projects going, I decided to get this one back on track. I pulled out some #1 needles, transferred the stitches, and figured out where I was on the chart. I knit a few rounds, and realized that yes, I really did need the #2 needles. I switched over, finished the hand, made the pinky, and the thumb ribbing.

I wonder what made me put this project down? Was it because I was approaching the tricky part, the finger ribbing? Did I have to stop and work on something more urgent? I don't think it was because I got bored. I love stranded knitting, and usually can't stop knitting once I get going.

Whatever the reason, it makes me feel a little sad. Sometimes when a project is abandoned, there's just no hope of getting it going again. There were two other projects in the box. One I've already ripped out, and the other will probably follow suit. I'm glad I was able to rescue this project, and I can't wait to see it completed. I think the gloves will be beautiful, and I'm looking forward to wearing them, maybe even yet this winter.

Day of Knitting - Report

2010-01-18T16:20:00.000-06:00

Yesterday's "Day of Knitting" spilled over into today, but since I didn't start until the afternoon yesterday, I figure it's still a day's worth.

As for progress - I made two catnip toys, and finished the baby booties.

There are no new photos of the cardigan, or either of the two dark hats. They don't look too much different, although each one is a little longer than yesterday.

This hat was started yesterday. It's a Machault Cap, or Voyageur's cap. I need to complete it by the early part of February, so that's why I started yet another project!

And today, the inevitable happened. All I did was go upstairs to put away the leftover yarn from the baby booties. While I was up there, a single ball of wool in an open box called out "knit me" and like Alice in Wonderland, I had to obey! At first, I was only going to pick out some yarn that would go with the wool. Then I was only going to start the hat, and see what the combo looked like. Well, then I was off and running, and except for a lunch break, I worked on this until it was finished.

I used my food scale, and kept weighing the remaining ball of yarn, to see how I was doing. If I ran out, I was going to have to add a different yarn, or rip the whole thing out and make something else. I switched to garter stitch when I had about 12 grams of yarn left, and when I cast off, I had less than a yard left. See, that's knitting serendipity - when it all works out - and there were no preconceived ideas about what to do with the yarn, so designs, just take off and see what happens. Sometimes it's a disaster, but when it works, it's really great!

A Day of Knitting

2010-01-17T12:24:00.005-06:00

Happy New Year, a little belated! It has been very busy at work since returning after the Christmas holiday. I have been given additional finance work to do, and still want to get my own budget in line, as well as dozens of other tasks that are piled on the desk. I was hoping for a week or two of calm to get organized, but that didn’t happen.

So while work is chaos, I’ve decided that my at-home time will be as relaxing as possible. That’s why today is going to be a “Day of Knitting”.

I have so many projects going, and rather than work on only one, I’m going to set out several, and rotate through them, working a little on each, and see how much I accomplish.

Today’s lineup includes:

A hat for my brother. I made myself a night hat for cold evenings. It’s lightweight wool, and gives just enough insulation to keep the chill out. My brother can use one too, as his house is pretty chilly most of the time.

A black stocking cap. This is a repeat order from an Etsy customer. Black is a little difficult to work on at night, so I’m glad the sun came out today!

A cardigan for me. I’ve shown this project on the blog before. I wanted to get this finished to wear this winter, but there hasn’t been enough time to work on it as I’d imagined. So if I can make some progress on it this weekend, all the better. And we'll talk about that color variation later...

Baby booties. These were also requested – several pair in several colors.

Catnip toys – a constant project – love making these and using up my leftovers!

A Red Voyageur’s Cap – yet another special request. This is a historically accurate version of a Machault cap, worn by French fur traders and others during the 1600’s. I do like making these, because they are so basic, yet a piece of history. And warm, too!

That’s the lineup so far. I may add another project or two as the day goes on. Most of these are at the stage where they’re not difficult, which is good when doing rotation knitting.

Tomorrow – a progress report!

New Items in the Etsy Shop - and Free Shpping!

2009-11-29T14:48:00.000-06:00

The holidays are right around the corner, and if you're looking to avoid the craziness at the mall, there's no better place than your computer!

Not only will you save time and gas, you can buy US made items from small, independent artisans, and give gifts that are unique and most often, one of a kind.

This weekend I added two new items in my Etsy shop, perfect for the holidays. The first is a baby cap and booties set in rainbow colored machine washable wool. Suitable for either a boy or a girl, this set should be a good match for any color of winter coat.

The other item will help with holiday decorating. This is a set of 8 handknit Christmas stocking ornaments, in various colors and sizes. I have made dozens of these over the years, and I add new ones to my tree every year. I also like to hang them on cabinet knobs, door handles; anywhere that needs a little holiday cheer. They could also be used as gift holders, for those precious little gifts, or tucked into Christmas cards for folks far away.

These ornaments feature my special technique of a 'knitted-in' hanging loop, made so the loop will never detach from the stocking. Most knitting patterns have the loop added as an afterthought, and often it will detach if any weight or strain is placed on it. Not these!

As always, the kitties think the catnip toys are the best, and I think several of my repeat customers agree. Even cats that don't normally play get excited about these!

Take a look at these or any of the other items in my etsy shop. Many now feature free shipping to the United States, and will be shipped in time for the holidays.

Alice Starmore Aran Knitting Book for Sale – AKA Back in the eBay Saddle Again!

2009-11-25T07:16:00.004-06:00

Since 1998, I’ve had a little hobby of selling on eBay. I started out small, with just a few items, and then quickly jumped in with both feet. That spring, a local shop sold me their inventory of cook books and booklets. It was a literally a pickup load full. I had a great time, sorting through them, listing them, and being surprised when some went for more than expected. This was back in the day when I didn’t even have a photo of the item, just a good description.

Little by little, I made enough money to buy a scanner, and adding the pictures really boosted my sales. Soon I was able to go back to that local shop and buy the kitchen hutch that had caught my eye.

Over the years I’ve sold lots of odds and ends, but concentrated primarily on books, cookbooks, and needlework items, specifically yarn and knitting books. It’s been a fun pastime, and I won’t deny that it’s helped me through some rough financial times.

But lately it seems like eBay has changed from the “odds and ends” type auction site, to a site promoting more retail businesses. I still think it’s a great venue for collectors, but it’s difficult to wade through all the merchants who are using eBay to boost their bricks and mortar stores. I felt like my little “one of a kind” items were getting lost amidst the bigger liquidator type auctions, and the eBay stores. And books, well, with sites like Paperbackswap, who needs to buy books anymore? Unless it was something hard to find, my book sales dwindled to almost nothing.

I took a few months off from selling this summer, but now I’m ready to give it another try. And for my return to eBay, I have a very special item. A copy of Alice Starmore’s “Aran Knitting”. This hardcover book is out of print, and sought after by knitters. As I looked through the book to write the description, I realized that the book is rich in history. As someone who is interested in the United Kingdom, I look forward to sitting down with my own copy and reading this section and learning about this fascinating land. And the sweaters! Cable knitting has always been one of my favorites, and these patterns are stunning. And unlike the Starmore Fair Isle books, you don’t have to worry about not finding the proper yarn or colors to knit with. Most any worsted or DK weight yarn can be used to knit these masterpieces.

I’m very happy to have a copy of this book that I can offer for sale. I also currently have a few other new knitting books, and will be adding some yarns and other items in the weeks ahead.

Please take a look at my auctions, and at my Etsy site as well. You never know what treasures may appear. Maybe something you’ve been in search of for a long, long time!

What I'm Thankful for...

2009-11-16T21:41:00.004-06:00

Ok, I know it’s a little early for Thanksgiving, but something happened this weekend that made me think about this. One of those family challenges that put me in an awkward spot, and made me think, and think, and think...

And what I realized was the following:

I’m thankful that I have a roof over my head that is mine. Well, mine and the local bank’s, but I’m able to afford the payment each month, and even though sometimes I feel like the house is falling apart around me, it’s my cozy haven, and I love it and enjoy it so much, that I hate to leave it.

I’m thankful that I’m able to keep my head above water financially. Not much above, but I’m not drowning. Last week I sat down and wrote a fairly long list of how to cut costs and save money this coming year. I hope I can stick to it, because if I can make some headway, the impetus should help keep me on the path to success.

I’m thankful that I don’t have an addiction, well, other than yarn and books! I’m not overcome and consumed with drugs or alcohol or gambling ruling my life, making my decisions for me, and robbing me of my independence. I’ve never had this problem, other than yarn and books, but I can see the havoc it causes in other lives, if only from a distance, and it’s not pleasant.

I’m thankful that I have the ingenuity and skills to be creative. These were a gift from both my parents, and I can’t imagine my life without them. Not only does creativity entertain me and challenge me; it’s helped me be resourceful and helped me feel like there is always hope – always a way to solve a problem or get out of a jam. I have an Etsy shop because I like to make all sorts of things, and selling them gives me an outlet so that my house isn’t covered in an over-abundance of knitting. It also makes me feel resourceful, and even though I could never make enough money with it to give up my day job, the extra income does help in its small way.

I’m thankful that I have some family nearby. As we all age, it seems more important to connect with each other and spend time together. I’m especially thankful for my brother, who can fix anything, and does it for a spaghetti dinner!

I’m thankful for distant friends who are coming to visit for Thanksgiving. I’m such a homebody, and haven’t made any trips in several years. But I’m tickled and delighted that they can come here, and look forward to entertaining them.

And of course, I’m thankful for the three kitties that share my life and home. Rusty, Rollie, and Lily provide such good companionship, entertainment, and the unconditional love that makes every pet a treasure. I can’t imagine a day without them.

So there it is. I could probably come up with more, but this is the core. In a world that can seem so overwhelming, and so disheartening, it gives me great reassurance to feel that there are riches well beyond money, and reasons to treasure each new day.

Swaps Galore!

2009-10-25T14:24:00.002-05:00

A couple of weekends ago, I received a wonderful box from Linda (Bartons15) in the Ravelry Flat Rate Swap Box group, and I’ve been drooling over it ever since. This time the swap had an Autumn theme, and my box was full of cold weather goodies. I received three balls of yarn, all of which were new to me brands: one Elann Highland Wool Chunky and two shades of Knit Picks Wool of the Andes…. all are very soft! I also received a hank of Linda’s wonderful handspun, which she claims is “leftovers”, but I believe it was really spun especially for me – the color combinations are fantastic, and it’s so soft. My first thought was “neck gaiter, because I want to keep this yarn as near as possible, and I’ve already found a pattern in the “One Skein” book that should work. The last fibery thing was a braid of hand dyed blue faced leister roving in my favorite colors. How did she know I’ve been getting ready to tune up my spinning wheel and start spinning again? I just got a new drive band and bobbins, so I should be all set.

There was also a cute pumpkin decoration, some hand lotion and a soap sample from Linda’s neck of the woods . Very nice, and you can’t have too much lotion this time of year. Especially for spinner’s hands.

For treats, Linda sent Dove Chocolate (yum) and Godiva hot chocolate mix (double yum)! Also including were a church cookbook (love it!), a knitter’s reference card, notecards, and sticky notes. Perfect!

I definitely feel pampered with this box, and ready to hunker down and enjoy some quality knitting and spinning time. Thank you so much Linda!

And earlier this week, I received the swap box from the second round of the Flat Rate Swap Group. My original partner from this swap flaked out on me, and Fotopet was kind enough to come to the rescue and be my angel. And it was worth the wait. The theme for this swap was “Something from your Queue”, and Fotopet sent a pattern that was on my list for a lacy crocheted sweater, with beautiful teal blue yarn, and all the tools necessary for making the cardigan, including some larger stitch markers, crochet hook, and tapestry needles. If that weren’t enough, she included a great project bag with all sorts of compartments for gadgets and accessories, a journal, notecards, candles, special tea, and chocolate! There were even treats for the kitties, and as soon as this picture was snapped, the cat toy disappeared!

I am going to have lots of fun knitting, crocheting, and spinning with these items, and I want to thank both bartons15 and fotopet for being so kind!

Music to Watch Leaves By...

2009-10-25T12:15:00.003-05:00

So, it's a gray Sunday, and I'm knitting and looking at the Innerwebs, and watching the squirrels jump from the house to the walnut tree. And I have the Windham Hill Thanksgiving cd on the stereo.

And the big yellow leaves are falling from the maple tree, just drifting down slowly to the ground. The track playing on the stereo just perfectly matches the leaves falling, that slow twinkling piano music. That piece ends, and the next one comes on, another slow, twinkling piano piece, perfectly matching the leaves drifting down. That's Windham Hill for you...

Clever Cat Bed

2009-10-24T09:03:00.005-05:00

I’ve mentioned before that the cats have been after me to provide them with some adequate sleeping equipment for some time now. This past spring, when I was cleaning up the house, I took all the fur-covered rugs and blankets and hid them away to be laundered. Then summer came, and I didn’t think the cats wanted to curl up on wool afghans. I think I was mistaken. There must be something unappealing about smooth upholstered furniture. I guess they need to nest more than I realize.

Last weekend, I came up with a new cat bed that I thought was quite clever. I was trying to straighten up the laundry area in the basement, when a blue plaid wool mini skirt popped to the top of a pile. Where did it come from? I can’t remember – either from a thrift store, or a free box at a rummage sale, or it was given to me by someone who knows I can use wool material for weaving.

The skirt had a short back zipper, and a lining. I realized that with some simple sewing, I could have a new cat bed pronto.

I took out the bottom hem of the skirt, and turned it inside out and sewed a new seam across the bottom. Then I turned it the other way, and sewed the bottom of the lining shut. My plan was to top stitch across the top of the skirt, which lacked a waistband. I would leave a small gap where the hook and eye closure was.

Unfortunately, the skirt top was too bulky to fit under the sewing machine presser foot, and after a few failed attempts, I gave up, and just whip-stitched the top closed with a doubled length of sewing thread. This worked very well, and I got quite a feeling of satisfaction from doing the hand sewing, which made me wonder why I don’t do it more often. The zip opening was too small to fit a pillow form through, but my plan was to use loose stuffing. Somewhere, I have a pillowcase full of second cuts of raw wool that I thought I’d wash and use for stuffing. Could I find it? No.

Rooting around in the basement, I found the next best thing. I’ve had a particular ball of space dyed roving for over 15 years. I got it in a swap at one of the local Spinners and Weavers meetings. At the time, I didn’t know any better. However, I soon realized that whoever dyed this roving had half felted it. I couldn’t draft it no matter how hard I pulled. I didn’t know if there was any way to save it, but I hung on to it anyway.

After messing with it for a while, I realized I could pull it apart widthwise, instead of lengthwise. So I pulled tufts and tufts, and stuffed them into the cat bed. I kept checking to see if it felt hard or lumpy. It didn’t seem to, so I used the whole ball of roving this way. It took half a day for the cats to notice it, but now it’s the best new thing on which to sleep. I’m sure it will be warm, with all that wool. And I can pull the stuffing out for easy washing. All in all, a good project: recycling, making do, and above all, keeping the kitties happy!

Halloween is Near...

2009-10-18T21:07:00.002-05:00

Either that, or the neighbors have some explaining to do...

Lullaby, and Goodnight...

2009-09-25T21:07:00.002-05:00

When I was a little girl, my mom used to sing Brahms’ Lullaby to help put me to sleep. Sometimes she’d sing the words, sometimes she would just hum, and I remember being curled up against her and feeling the vibrations in her chest as she’d rock me and sing. It was probably the most comforting feeling I’ve ever known.

Oh, how I could use that now. I have not been sleeping well this summer. Some nights, it’s too noisy. Some nights, it’s too hot and stuffy. Some nights, it’s too cold and clammy. I wake up at least three times most nights. If I’m lucky, I can calm myself back to sleep. If not, I don’t fight it – that just makes it worse. That’s when I put the light on, and do some knitting, or work a puzzle, or read until I feel drowsy. Unfortunately, that doesn’t usually occur until it’s almost time to get up. This week, in addition to the all the above, I’ve been having nightmares. Not just bad dreams, NIGHTMARES. All-out, Technicolor, terror-filled, traumatizing nightmares. And not just one. Multiples: three on Wednesday, three on Thursday. There were several earlier in the week, but luckily I can’t remember them. In addition to the psychological messages prevalent in these dreams (anxiety, fear, etc.), there are vivid images to rival any horror movie: an inferno of trees engulfed in flames, and dead kittens crawling with maggots, to name a few.

WHY? What did I do to deserve a subconscious like this? Was it something I ate? Drank? Didn’t drink? Didn’t do? Life is stressful enough just now, thank you very much. I don’t need be run ragged while I’m unconscious. Sleep should be a period of rest and renewal. It’s been ages since I’ve awoke in the morning refreshed, and got out of bed without feeling tired and uncomfortable.

I blame it partly on the weather. It was such a mild summer, but the nights weren’t always “good sleeping weather”. Now it’s the end of September, and we’ve been in the grip of extreme humidity, and temperatures above average. I’m hoping this weekend that will finally change.

I don’t know. Now that the weekend is here, I hope I can relax, both while awake, and especially while asleep. I can't remember the last time I had a good dream. Maybe what I need to do, is get the rocking chair in these photos back from my brother. Maybe that’s the key to a good sleep. Sure looks like it…

Oh Baby!

2009-09-21T18:45:00.005-05:00

Finally, a big project finished! I started this baby blanket back in March, for Lauri, a former co-worker who was adopting a baby girl from China. Originally, her baby shower was going to be in May. Good thing it wasn’t. This project languished for a while, and I’d pick it up every now and again and make some progress on it, then put it away for a while.

The pattern is the “Old Shale Baby Blanket” by Evelyn Clark from the Vogue “Knitting on the Go – Baby Blankets” book. It’s worked from the center out, so at first, the knitting goes fast, but later on, as the blanket gets bigger, it takes much longer to work even one round. I started out on double pointed needles, switched to a circular needle, and then ended up using three 60” circular needles to handle all the stitches and bulk. Thank goodness for the KnitPicks options needles. I already had two long cables from a previous project, so I only needed to order one more cable and three sets of #7 tips. I did have some problems with the screw joints loosening up, but it wasn’t too bad. It only needs to happen once, and you start watching for it, and tightening the tips every time you change needles.

The yarn for this project was actually two yarns held together. The cream colored yarn is an acrylic yarn that my brother picked up one day at Goodwill. It’s a bit loosely spun, and had a wavy texture. The rainbow colored yarn is Four Seasons Leone, which is a machine washable wool. I think it added just the right amount of accent color to the project. It’s a good example of two yarns that aren’t so great on their own combining to make a decent item. I was hoping to wash the blanket and dry it after knitting, to see how that went; but I only finished it a few hours before the baby shower, so I had to be content with blocking it with the steam iron.

And yes, I know steam blocking can “kill” an acrylic yarn, but it’s just something that needs attention when you’re doing it. When this blanket came off the needles, it was flat in the center, then bulged up, then flattened out again toward the edges. The bulge came, I’m sure, when there got to be too many stitches for the one large circular needle that I had. When the stitches are crowded like that, I think my gauge changes, and it could be that I actually (“gasp”) tighten up a bit. I know Elizabeth Zimmermann used to say you could knit an entire shawl on a 24” circular, and maybe that’s true for lace weight yarn, but I find that when the stitches get bunched together, bad things happen. I should have switched to longer circulars sooner, but didn’t realize it right away, then had to order them and wait for them to get here.
Steam blocking took out the bulge, and also helped the edge scallops lay flat and not curl. One thing about knitting the blanket in the round, even on long needles, was that it was almost impossible to lay it out as it was be worked, and check the progress. For the most part it just looked like a big blob. It was such a treat to cast off and lay it out, and see the lovely scalloped edge that happened as if by magic. The pattern was not difficult, but it did require a bit of attention. Every fourth round was the “action” round where the old shale shaping was done. The other three rounds were worked plain, and I opted to purl the roound just after the action round, to give an added bit of texture. I placed markers at each of the four corners of the blanket. I should have used additional markers for each full pattern of lace repeat. Since the blanket increased from the center out, there were always extra stitches being added and worked into the lace pattern. It wasn’t always easy to follow, and there wasn’t a chart with the pattern. I did get off track a few times on a section, but if I couldn’t figure out the mistake, I just fudged it at the end of the section, increasing or decreasing to end up with the right stitch count. If you hunt closely you can find a few odd jogs in the old shale, but the for the most part, the fudging is hidden, and the overall look is still the same.

I had planned on knitting this blanket until I ran out of yarn, which I thought would happen before I got to the end of the pattern. It might have, but I had to end the blanket sooner than expected because I ran out of time. I ended one full lace repeat sooner than the pattern, and worked the last few rounds in garter stitch, instead of stockinette, which I think worked better. The finished blanket measured 32” square, which is plenty big for a baby blanket. It’s a bit hefty too, so it should be a good wintertime blanket. As I said, the work in progress was a big blob, and couldn’t be laid out, even to measure. I had to measure one of the diagonal “seam” lines, and then use (“gasp, again”) geometry to figure out the total measurement. (The good ol’ Pythagorean Theorem). Since baby Sarah is already 14 months old, I didn’t want to make anything that would be too small to cover her. Hopefully this size will let her get some use out of it for a while yet.

I might make this pattern again someday. I would like to have one baby blanket “in stock” for a gift so that I don’t have to worry about finishing for a deadline. In general, I like giving blankets as baby gifts, because you don’t have to worry much about size, or gender, and I think they get more use than clothing, which babies grow out of so quickly.

If I do make this pattern again, I’d like to try it in a sport weight yarn, and smaller needles. Or maybe I’d just use the “center out” shaping concept and try a different stitch pattern. Lots of choices here.

One final good thing about finishing the blanket: Now I can work on something else, maybe even something for me! Something like that blue wool cardigan I started last month. After all, the first day of Autumn is tomorrow. Can I have it done by then? What do you think?

Order Out of Chaos? Not Quite Yet...

2009-09-12T17:53:00.003-05:00

I thought a three-day weekend would be plenty of time to organize my upstairs needlework haven, and still have time to crank out beautiful handmade sweater or two.

Yeah, right. I was so deluded.

After three days, I only managed to put away three totes full of yarn, empty two boxes of needlework magazines, and create more chaos than when I’d started. The only thing I produced in abundance was frustration. I hardly did any knitting. Nothing “flew” off the needles, anyway.

I realized late last night that I need to move even more stuff out before I can bring everything back. It’s time to let go of the excess, in both patterns and fibers, and concentrate on what I really want to work on.

It’s funny though, because just when I think I’ve made that decision, it backfires. Example – Yesterday when I was sorting yarn, I came across a few balls of mohair that a friend gave me. As I contemplated it, I realized that I don’t really like mohair, and I could get rid of all my mohair, and never miss it.

No sooner that I thought that, I came up with the idea of combining the mohair with some of the other yarn I have to make slippers. I have a favorite slipper pattern, and I usually make a few pair every year. I like to knit the slippers out of several strands of yarn, coming up with something totally unique and very warm. So the mohair stayed, rather than go on the garage sale pile.

And then, to prove my point to myself, I took the one oddball of mohair, a few other oddballs, and a cone of rayon chenille, and whipped up a crocheted cat mat.

Rusty and the other cats have been pining for appropriate sleep gear. Rusty has been sleeping on an old beach towel, folded and re-folded every time it looks like there’s too much cat hair on it. His pleading stare seems to say that he deserves better. The rayon chenille was the constant in this mat. I added the mohair yarn first, even taking apart the little sample swatches that were included with the ball. I made a double crochet square, using directions from the old reliable copy of “Reader’s Digest Guide to Needlework”. When I ran out of mohair, I added the boucle yarn that was part of a yarn bag from Goodwill. I switched to single crochet, and just worked around, not making any more increases at the corners. This made the mat start to cup slightly. When the second yarn ran out, I thought I was done, but after a while, I decided to make the edge just a little deeper. I pulled out some other cones of black yarn, and kept crocheting. I even worked a few decreases, to help with the cupping. The finished product is kind of funny looking. The shallow sides aren’t quite sturdy enough to stand on their own. I’m not too concerned about that. I am going to machine wash and dry the mat, and see if it gets any sturdier. It will work out either way – Rusty was already curled up on it this morning when I left for work. And the beach towel had finally made its way to the laundry pile.

Starting today, and continuing this week, I’m going to move out more of the boxes that are still in my way, and continue the reorganization process. I have a few things set aside for my sister’s garage sale on the 19th, and I’m sure that stack will grow. It better!

Better Red than Blue...

2009-09-02T20:17:00.002-05:00

Is anyone else getting all their junk e-mail in Russian these days? My Internet provider launched a new junk mail manager a few months ago. When I check it, 99% of the junk mail is in the Cyrillic font.

At first I wondered if this was some post-Cold War, hi-tech means of attack. But then I wondered if it was just the junk mail filter's way of saving my delicate constitution from all the pornographic trash that usually winds up in the filter. After all, if those Russian messages are discussing body part size and indiscreet intimate actions, I can't tell. And that is very fine with me!

RustyCat Spokesmodel Says...

2009-08-23T12:41:00.004-05:00

Come on over and check out the new sets of catnip toys just listed at The CreativeMind Shop on Etsy.

Annie’s been working diligently to get more toys ready for the fall and winter seasons. Those times when kitties like us have to stay cooped up indoors, and don’t get any fresh greens to nibble on. The catnip in these toys is dee-lish, let me tell you! I usually hunker down next to Annie while she’s knitting, and when it comes time to stuff the toys, one piercing look usually gets me a pinch of catnip on a little dish. Scrumptious!

And even though I’m getting up in years, I still have fun tossing these toys around by the tail. And two tails on every toy. Well, that’s just double the fun. Of course, as soon as I start having my fun, that little stinker Rollie has to butt in and see what’s going on. Such an attention grabber he is. That’s when I just look all cool and aloof and saunter away real casual like. But I know just where I tossed that last toy, and he doesn’t…

Buy some today, for the kitties you love!

We now return to our regularly scheduled blogging….

Eek! I have Startitis!

2009-07-29T19:13:00.004-05:00

…and I think it’s incurable.

I had the luxury last weekend of two days with no commitments, and realizing this, I was able to get the housework and chores done before Friday, so I could have a big block of time to work on some of those projects that need that extra time.

On Saturday, I decided to work upstairs, and go through the middle bay of the long closet, and get that organized, and set up for yarn and pattern storage. The right hand bay had been cataloged years ago, but in my haste to clean up this spring, I filled it with boxes that need to come out so I can get to what’s there. These bays are deceptive – it looks like there’s lots of space, but in reality you can’t store too much in there without making many layers. I put most of the boxes around the perimeter of the bay, and have shelves and can stack, but I like to be able to see everything without having to dig too deep.

The middle bay was partially organized, and after pulling out the boxes and bins that weren’t cataloged, I set to work. I had moved a small bookshelf in there, and a filing cabinet filled with patterns, but still had room for several totes. Over the two days, I entered over 300 balls of yarn in my excel spreadsheet. This sounds like a lot, but when they’re purchased in 8 or 10 balls for a project, it’s not so much. Well, ok, it still is a lot, but so what?

The problem with handling all that yarn, is that my fingers get the urge to start new projects. I resisted for most of the first day. After all, I have plenty of projects going, and several that were very close to being finished. That’s what I should be working on. Right?

But temptation was too much, and late Saturday afternoon, I pulled down a cone of cotton yarn and started a baby sweater. The yarn was white, with dots of pastel baby colors. I just wanted to see the colors play off each other. I worked a few inches, and it will be a nice sweater, but I really do need to get those other projects finished. On Sunday, as I continued to sort through boxes, I came across a partial ball of a linen cotton mix. It was one of those odd balls that I bought on clearance, just because it was linen, and just because it was colorful. I see a pattern here – colorful yarn gets me into more trouble where willpower is concerned. This yarn was not the nicest linen, and I was going to toss it into the charity pile, when a tiny voice said “just make a dishcloth”. So I did. Well, I started it, anyway. It’s one of my made up ideas, working from the center out, so I can use up the yarn and make a square that’s big enough, and if I run out of yarn, I can add another yarn, but it doesn’t end up looking like I ran out of yarn. On Monday evening, I don’t even remember why I went upstairs. Do you think maybe yarn sings a siren song? I must have been looking for something. Suddenly, I was pulling wool out of one of the wire storage bins. There were six or seven hanks of natural colored two ply wool, without any tags. I laid them out, and was trying to discern whether or not they were the same color. After some deliberation, I decided that I just couldn’t tell. I pulled more yarn out of the bin. Suddenly, I pulled out several hanks of navy blue wool with flecks of purple. That did it. Before I knew it, I had one on the swift, and was winding it into a ball. I had wanted to make a simple wool cardigan that I could pull on when it got chilly this fall. I swatched, and started a top-down raglan even before the swatch was dry. And yesterday, because I wasn’t sure I had enough knitting to make it through the baseball game, I had to start a pumpkin cap. I would have had plenty without it, as it turned out, but you just never know… So that’s four new projects in four days. Did I finish any of those that were so close to being done? No. Did I make any progress on any other projects? Well, yes. I worked on the baby blanket, and I worked on my current pair of socks. I made a few catnip toys. But really, I didn’t need to start any more projects. Especially since, in sorting through boxes, I found a number of other unfinished projects. This is where startitis becomes a serious problem!

I have another commitment-free weekend coming up, and if I can, I’m going to try to apply some “finishitis” to the startitis condition, and see what happens. I’m hoping to get at least three items done. And not start any more new ones. Really.

And finally, here’s Lily, happily dozing in the force field which keeps her immune from Startitis. Move over Lily!

And the Knitting Goes Round and Round....

2009-07-23T21:11:00.003-05:00

…and it comes out here! This is one of my latest projects, and while it’s not too elaborate, it’s the kind of mix of mindless knitting and genius construction that I love. Thanks so much to Frankie Brown for figuring this out this shaping. Her easy-to-follow pattern can be found on Ravelry. I’ve wanted to make a small bathroom rug to use up my scraps of Lily Sugar & Cream cotton for some time. This fits the bill perfectly. Even a small 36 inch leftover bit made quite a few rows of pattern. I’m trying to alternate dark and light leftovers, and let the colors all jumble together. One note: when I made the center circle, I had fewer repeats than Frankie’s pattern called for. I didn’t worry about this, I just made enough to make sure the piece lay flat. After working the first complete round around this circle, I realize that was the right decision. It now measures just over 12 inches across, and it’s still laying flat.

Being able to join the strip while knitting is great. I started making a blanket once with this concept, in a square shape. It was turning out great, but I lost interest in making a full size afghan, so it became a cat throw instead.

I will knit this pattern again. Well, I’ll use the shaping, anyway. I have plans to make a cat cushion, by making two circles out of wool, felting them and stuffing them with more wool fleece. Once the whole thing is joined together, it should be one thick and sturdy cat bed. Gotta keep the kitties happy!
I’m also going to use some finer weight wool and make some coasters. I can see where this shaping will really show a yarn with graduated color changes to its best advantage. I’ll have to root through the stash and see what I can come up with.

Thos projects are in the future. For right now, I’m looking forward to the upcoming weekend, and working on this rug. I will actually have two solid days with no commitments, no plans, no big chores to do. I’ve been working hard each evening this week, getting laundry done, and housecleaning, etc, so that come Saturday I’ll have huge blocks of uninterrupted time for the following: working on my etsy shop, continuing the reorganization of the upstairs needlework haven; cataloging more of my book collection, and lots and lots of knitting!

I’ve been listening to the Harry Potter series on audio book this summer while I walk on the treadmill. I read all the books when they first came out, but Jim Dale really makes them come to life. After I finish each one, I watch the corresponding movie. Right now I’m halfway through “Prisoner of Azkaban”. Treadmilling and doing laundry is so much easier when half my mind as at Hogwarts!

From the Daylight to the Moonlight

2009-07-20T21:33:00.002-05:00

This past Saturday, I had to chance to see something for the first time. The Southern Pacific 4449 Steam Locomotive, also known as the Daylight, rumbled through Trempealeau pulling a train of vintage passenger cars on its way to Chicago. It was here and gone in a few blinks of the eye, but it was wonderful to watch. I can remember watching trains all the time growing up, and it’s one of those very nostalgic memories. The rail line that ran behind our house, the Chicago-Northwestern, runs no more, and is now a State Bicycle Trail. But the memories remain, and believe it or not, every now and then I dream about those trains. Another memory of another first is also occurring today. I can remember huddling with my mother and brother in front of our tv set, well into the night, 40 years ago, watching Walter Cronkite and the very first lunar landing and moonwalk. At seven years old, you knew it was important if you were allowed to stay up past your bedtime. Looking at the re-broadcast tonight of that epic event, I realize that CBS had me believing at the time that their simulated model was actually the real shape ship. I do remember vividly, going to the screen door and looking out at the moon, every night while Apollo 11 was up there, squinting really hard, trying to see something that looked like the lunar module. I squinted so hard it made my eyes ache. I could never be sure if I saw anything or not.

Times change. Locomotives are now hulking diesels; boxy things without much character. Anchormen pass away, taking part of our past, but leaving the history. Computers are smaller and yet more powerful than those that launched the Apollo missions. But the moon is still there. Still beaming its brilliant moonlight. And tonight, I’m going to squint really hard when I look at it, just for old times’ sake.

Wonderful Surprises!

2009-07-18T08:17:00.003-05:00

I signed up for the Flat Rate Box Swap on Ravelry last month. This is a new swap group, and the first one I’ve participated in on Ravelry. I’ve only been in a few swaps before, and they’re fun, but certainly a commitment.

The theme for this swap was your local area. I collected lots of goodies for my partner, “fiberholicmom” from Maine, and sent them off to her, along with photos of Trempealeau, and a letter describing everything.

Yesterday when I got home, my swap box was waiting for me at the back door. Excindrela sent me a wonderful box from southern California, full of treasures that I never would have expected. Here’s a photo of everything from the box. I was amazed that at how much she was able get in there! Among the treasures were a live Agave plant, huge California dates, with a recipe from orange date nut bread, and prickly pear cactus tea, treats for the kitties, and Sees candy, which I’d heard of but never tasted. The weather will be cool this weekend, more like October than July, so I will bake some bread a sip a cuppa!

For yarn, there was a richly colored purple/cocoa merino, and two skeins of handspun angora/wool that will have to become something special. My first thought for the angora was smoke ring. Excindrela also made me a felted clutch, which is thick and cushy and the perfect size for just a few important things. Here’s a photo of Rollie, who thinks the clutch should be a little bigger, and all for him! For beauty, there is a stained glass Rain Cross, from the Mission in Riverside. I’m going to hang this in front of the east window in the needlework haven upstairs (see previous post). There was also a bracelet made of Serpentine stones, which is the California state stone. Just the kind of thing I like to wear!

And for scent, a bar of orange blossom scented soap, which made the whole box smell wonderful, and a tube of locally made lip balm. I haven’t tried it yet, but I will soon.

There were also postcards from the area, and on the back, each of the treasures was described. Brochures from the area were included as well.

When I signed up for the swap, one of the questions was “where would you like to visit the most, and where would you like to visit the least?” I had said New England is the place I’d like to see, and California was the least favorite place. When the assignments were made, I thought the leader got it backwards, making me send to New England and receive from California. But maybe she had a cunning plan. After receiving such I wonderful box from a very special person, I must admit that my curiosity is California is stirring. I did realize before this that not all of California is the glitz and glam and pollution of LA, which is what gets portrayed most often as the “California image”. This lovely gift only helps to reinforce the fact that creative, wonderful people are everywhere, and there is beauty and history and talent in every nook and cranny of this country! Thank you so very much!

I Have Crossed a Line....

2009-07-15T20:09:00.007-05:00

I have something to confess, and I’m not that proud of it. I have rented a storage unit. I live alone, with three cats, in a 3-bedroom, 1,450 square foot 1.5 storey house. That should be plenty of room for me and mine, right? Apparently not. Since moving in 14 years ago, I have amassed a collection of stuff (mostly yarn) that has pushed me over the edge of comfort (and reason?) and started oozing out at the edges.

Some history: When I first moved in, I did it gradually, moving pieces from my mom’s house little by little, and setting up the house just how I wanted it. That was in 1995. In 1997, my mom had a severe stroke, and landed in the nursing home for her remaining days. Suddenly, we had to empty out her house. I had to quickly get all my extra stuff out of there. Not only that, I then accumulated a good deal of her stuff as well. Combine that hasty move with the shock and depression that came with dealing with her illness and death, and I was overwhelmed in more ways than you can imagine.

My basement immediately became filled to the rafters. The upstairs, which is my needlework haven, became crowded with boxes and bags of yarns, books, and materials. And of course, retail therapy is a great comforter, so I added to the mix with new yarns, books, and other goodies. Who wouldn't?

Most of the time, having all this stuff is a great comfort to me. I like being surrounded by it, planning and dreaming of what I’m going to do with it. Starting new projects, taking this and that yarn and coming up with something unique and useful. And I like the sorting and organizing and puttering around looking through boxes and finding treasures I’d completely forgotten about. That’s almost a hobby in its own right!

But eventually, I was starting to feel quite overwhelmed, and more and more restricted. It all came to a breaking point this spring. I mentioned earlier that I was going to refinance the house. Part of that process involved having an appraisal. Yikes. Suddenly my cozy, pack-rat nest looked and felt like a heaving, oozing dump. In an effort to make a good impression on the appraiser, I knew I had to get my act together, and fast. And sadly, I realized that I had way too much stuff to try just putting it in the closets and closing the doors!

Now, storage units, to me, have a negative connotation. It speaks too much of our society’s greed and excess. And that thought certainly came to mind as I looked around at the mess I was trying to deal with. Now, I do purge from time to time, having garage sales, donating to Goodwill, etc. But I just didn’t have the time to do that on a grand scale. I just kept thinking, if I could clear it all out, I could clean up, reorganize, and bring it all back in an orderly fashion.

It just so happens that there is a very nice set of storage units on my way to work, a few blocks from my house, on the edge of town. They’re well built, well kept, and I know the people who own them. I know the units are nice, because my brother rents one. And what does he keep in his? Enough building materials to build his own storage shed. Think on that one for a minute. Of course, he’s always been too busy to do it, but maybe now that he’s retired….

I found out by chance that there was a small 8x10 unit available, and once I knew that, I couldn’t get the idea out of my brain. It would be so nice to get all the clutter out of the way, get the house cleaned from top to bottom, have the appraisal, and then start a big re-organizing project. I decided to swallow my pride and go for it, with the idea that it’s just a short term solution to the problem. I’m hoping that I get everything figured out and cleaned up in six months.

And what went in the unit? Yarn of course. Boxes and boxes and totes full of yarn. Jigsaw puzzles are another weakness, and they went as well. With puzzles, there are a few (dozen) I want to keep, but most of them, I’ll do once, and then put in a garage sale. Their number exploded when I went to my aunt’s estate auction a few years ago, and bought quite a large chunk of her puzzle collection. I’m working through them little by little, but in the meantime, they take up lots of space!

Back issues of magazines are also in the unit. Not just any magazines, but those that I look at again and again. These include Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Old House Journal, and some British home magazines. I don’t subscribe to these, I just pick them up for free when I see them at the recycle or at rummage sales. My grand plan is to bring out the appropriate back issues at the appropriate time of year. I’m getting closer to that goal, and I have gotten rid of lots of old cooking magazines that have been replaced with cookbooks.

There is still room in the unit for more boxes, but, except for the basement, I was able to get the house in fine shape for the appraisal. I had the closing on the loan last month, and I’ve already been enjoying the newfound spaces I have for relaxing and working on my many projects. I didn’t take any “before” photos, but here are some examples of the cleaned up needlework haven. There is more decorating yet to do, but for now, it’s so relaxing!
So, now that I have the unit, I actually kind of like it. It’s so handy; I can stop and drop something off on the way to work, or bike over and dig out some yarn that got stored away, but is suddenly needed. And the feeling of being overwhelmed is gone. Now I actually feel like I can start managing the mess that’s left, start making progress on reorganization, and on decorating, and eventually fit everything back together. It also almost automatically put a halt to unnecessary spending. The idea that “I don’t have room for it” really sinks in now!

Klik Klak Redux

2009-05-06T17:52:00.003-05:00

It’s common knowledge to me that not very many people read this blog. I see the stats, and they are pretty pathetic. That doesn’t really bother me – I know I’m probably not going to be another Yarn Harlot or Panopticon. In fact, it’s fairly liberating, knowing that I can pretty much write anything I want, without having to live up to anyone’s expectations.

One thing that I find amusing though, is that the blog post that gets the most hits from people searching is the one called the "Saga of the Klik-klak". I wonder if, like me, they are trying to find a source for Klik-klaks, or need to vent about Klik-klaks, or just happen to like them.

So I thought a little Klik-klak update might be in order. I’ve had mine for about eight months now. Personally, I still really like it. Remember now, I got the one with the storage bin underneath. The sofa is a nice neutral color, and so far, the cats have not been able to damage the microfiber fabric. I love the storage feature, and have finally found a place for much of the extra bedding I have. That’s been great. There are a few tiny drawbacks.

The first one is this: In most traditional sofa beds, there is a horizontal bar that hits you right in the back, and makes for uncomfortable sleeping. On the Klik-klak, there really isn’t a bar, per se, but a harder area, and it runs vertically, rather than horizontally. So you can’t really sleep in the center of the sofa bed, you kind of have to pick a side, or a diagonal. For me, this isn’t too much of an issue, I’ve managed to find a comfortable position on the few times that I’ve tried it out. I’m just a little hesitant to subject any visitors to it. It hasn’t been an issue yet, but it might be someday. I think I can alleviate the problem by adding a nice feather tick.

The second issue is this: For me, the Klik-klak has been fine, and yes, I still love it. However, I can see that it’s already losing some of it’s “vitality” in that the padding is starting to compress a bit, and the fabric is not as taut as it used to be. And, I’ve seen on the local Freecycle a rant from a Klik-klak owner, getting rid of hers because her kids broke it in a month, and why can’t they make something that will last? Well, I agree, active kids jumping on furniture would probably wreck my Klik-klak. College kids in party mode would probably wreck one. But sedate, middle aged knitters who just want a comfy place to sit will not do much harm. Some say you get what you pay for, but I still feel this sofa was a value for me and fits in perfectly with my lifestyle and storage needs.

I feel so strongly about it that in November I bought a second one! I wanted one for the spare bedroom, so that it would become more of a home office, sitting room style room, but still useable if someone needs to sleep there. The problems with back orders and stock issues seemed to be cleared up somewhat, and I was able to buy one on sale at one of the area Shopko stores. It is identical to the first one, and what I actually ended up doing was moving the living room Klik-klak into the bedroom by myself, so that the new one didn’t have to be carried as far. I was able to put the sofa up on end and kind of “dance” it through the doorways and around the corners. That was another plus – being able to move it myself. Since adding the second sofa, I’ve spent much more time in the spare room, which has become a cozy little haven. It’s nice to get away from the tv, but still have a place where all the cats and I can relax together. I sit and knit and listen to podcasts or audiobooks, and the cats have a nice ledge to look out the window. And the new Klik-klak in the living room adds even more storage space. A win all around!

Credit Report Update

2009-03-24T17:24:00.003-05:00

After writing about the website where I checked my credit score, I discovered that they've actually done parodies of the "FreeCreditReport.com" commericals. Have a look!

Do You Love Books?

2009-03-21T10:48:00.003-05:00

I must admit, I was born a booklover. Both my parents were avid readers. My Dad belong to several “…of the Month” clubs, and one of my favorite photos of him is where he is seated at his desk, and nearby there is a pile of books stacked almost to the ceiling. I do come by it naturally. When I was four I had my very own bookcase filled with books. I still have it, as well as some of those favorites from way back when. That's me on the left, in my favorite dress at the time, with roosters all over it. Over the years I’ve purchased many books, and while some have been brand new, most have been used books, ex-library books, or vintage books. I seem to prefer older books. Once I read an author I like, I like to find all their books. Or collect all the books on a particular subject. I have bookcases in every room of the house except the bathroom, which only houses a magazine rack.

Collecting books, like any other hobby, can be expensive, even when looking for bargain priced books. A few years ago, I was made aware of the website PaperbackSwap, and over time, my library has increased while my book budget has shrunk!

Now, before you jump to the first conclusion, let me tell you: this website isn’t just for paperbacks. I don’t even like to buy paperbacks, because usually I want to keep the book and therefore want a hardcover. But PaperbackSwap has all versions of books: paperback, hardcover, audio cassette, and audio CD.

The basic rules are this: You create an account, and list five books that you would like to give away. Right up front you are given three credits, which you can then use to “order” books from other members. When someone requests one of your books, you get an e-mail message. If you agree to send the book, then on the website you will be given the requestor’s name and address on a printable label. You pay the postage cost to send out the book. When the book is received, you get a credit for it. That, basically, is it. If you see a book you want, you can request it, and soon it’s on the way to your address. For free!

Although part of the idea can be to receive a book, read it, and then re-list it for someone else to claim, you are not bound to re-trade any book you receive. I’ve kept over 95% of the books I’ve received.

Most of the books I’ve requested have been hardcover, and with only a few small exceptions, many have been in very good to excellent condition, many being like-new. These books would have cost a pretty penny to purchase new in the store, even at a discount. I’ve been able to use several as gifts.

The books I list for trade are books that I’ve decided I no longer have an interest in, or have duplicate copies of, or are paperbacks that I’ve replaced with hardcover editions.

Some categories on PaperbackSwap are less well-stocked than others. If you are looking for current fiction, you’ll find it, although there might be a wait for the really popular books. No problem, just add the book to your wish list, and when it’s available, you’ll be notified. Knitting books, however, are scarce as hens’ teeth, and get snapped up the moment they get listed.

Of course, browsing the site has led me to discover all sorts of new books and authors that I’d never even heard of. And, since there are books of every age, I’ve even found a few vintage editions to add to my collection.

This little narrative just scratches the surface of how PaperbackSwap works. They also have sister sites for CDs and DVDs. If you’re interested in books, and in saving money, check it out!

Stash Busting - March Update

2009-03-10T20:00:00.005-05:00

Stash Busting is going well! The only thing is, I’m not sticking exclusively to that bucket o’ yarn that I featured last month. I’m trying to focus on those yarns, but sometimes I just need to work other projects, still busting stash, but not necessarily that stash.

However, I have managed to complete four more projects from that particular collection of yarn. First of all, here’s a photo of that stash today:

I pulled out most of the small balls and took the ones I wouldn’t use to the local Goodwill.

Out of the remainder, I made the following:

Two hats for charity. I had this rainbow hat started last month. I was intending it to fit a child, however, I got carried away, and it’s actually a little large even on me. I added it to the charity box. That yarn was Red Heart Worsted. The black hat is from the one ball of Phentex Angorel. This is also acrylic, but a brushed, fuzzy yarn. I started at the top, aiming to make a tam style, but changed that midstream, to a hybrid style hat. It fits an adult, and went into the charity box as well.
A felted bowl. This crochet project used up the 1+ balls of Lion Wool. I had fun crocheting it, and like the way it turned out. A pair of socks. There was only one ball of Cervinia Jacquard in the container, but I knew there were more balls elsewhere in the house, so I found another one and knit this pair of socks, mostly during lunchtime at work, and while on the treadmill. I like making the socks a little longer and shaping the leg. This pair will go in my Etsy shop. Projects in the works are a crocheted market bag, and another water bottle cozy. More on those in the next update.

There are a few balls in the bucket that I’m going to store away where they belong. For instance – that pink chenille from Hobby Lobby. I know there are three other balls elsewhere in the house, and why this ball got separated, I don’t know. And that pale blue Brunswick cotton has some companions in a box upstairs. So part of stash busting is actually stash management. But don’t worry – once this container is empty, there’s another one lurking just around the corner!

Possibly Boring, but Potentially Useful Financial Information

2009-03-05T19:45:00.003-06:00

Finances have been in the forefront lately here at the Knitting Kitties homestead. What with the current economy, and taxes, and trying to keep a roof over my head, my sleepless nights are generally consumed with this throat tightening fear that I am way to close to my “financial edge” and need to pull back before I fall off the money cliff.

In December, I made a major investment and had a new furnace installed. That in itself has been a nightmare, and something I can’t even talk about yet. Maybe someday. The other project looming large is that the house and garage need a major exterior overhaul. New siding, new garage doors, and fixing some of the parts that are starting to turn to mush need to happen soon.

Luckily for me, my brother is willing to take on this project. However, materials, tools, and other sundries are going to cost a pretty penny, and I need to do a major financial overhaul to come up with the money to cover these costs.

Also luckily, being a small town, I know my banker, and can talk to him openly and honestly, and get good feedback and information from him. Still, it’s a little scary wondering about things like credit score and debt load and such.

In preparing for the upcoming loan application, I decided to check my credit score. I had done this once before, several years ago. I want to share with you the website I used, because, as I’m sure you all know, there are dozens of credit sites out there, and most, if not all, seem like scams more than legitimate, helpful sites.

The website I went to was http://www.annualcreditreport.com

As the address suggests, you can obtain a credit report, once a year, and it’s free. That’s right, free. You can select to receive a report from one of the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. I chose Experian.

The report alone had a lot of good information in it, and I could have been satisfied with that. However, for $5.95, I could receive the number of the credit score. Now, I mention this, because it’s seems like everywhere else I look, that fee is quite a bit more. I think if it was more than $10.00, I probably wouldn’t have purchased the score. Or, if I wasn’t ready to apply for a major loan, the report would have been enough to satisfy me. But since I’m planning this major investment, I wanted the number. And the $5.95 was all I had to pay. Nothing further to sign up for. No hidden catch.

The report you get along with your credit score explains how that number was generated, which is also very helpful.

What this did for me was to give me a little peace of mind that refinancing the house will be a good thing, saving money in the long run, and asking for a line of credit is not beyond my means. I know the final call is up to my banker, but at least now I don’t feel like these improvements I need to make are beyond the realm of possibility. Maybe I will sleep a little better tonight. Unless I start thinking about the furnace again….

Le Bon Temps Roule

2009-02-24T20:28:00.002-06:00

Rusty is all ready for a wild Mardi Gras. Too bad we live so far north...

Stash Busting 2009

2009-02-03T19:28:00.004-06:00

For me stash busting has been an ongoing process for several years. I rarely buy new yarn for a knitting project, but I did buy yarn last year to enhance the stash, for future, yet-to-be-determined projects. That was not supposed to happen. It didn’t happen a lot, but it wasn’t supposed to happen. At all.

I suppose that in order to bust stash I should know just how much I’m dealing with. Well, I did start organizing the yarn and made up an Xcel spreadsheet a few years back. But after 1,500 balls, I ran out of storage room in my upstairs closet, and didn’t add any more to the list. Now this closet isn’t small – it runs the length of the house. But half of it was full of puzzles, games, sewing supplies, and other odds and ends. I’ve been working at getting it cleared out, so I can continue with my yarn storage project.

But try as I might to keep it contained, yarn just seems to keep showing up everywhere. In my bedroom, there are four totes hung on the doorknobs, with in-progress projects. There is also a pressed tin bucket that my sister gave me a couple of years ago. This became a catch-all for odd balls, and a few balls I brought down to try in projects, that didn’t make the cut.

I’ve decided to start with this bucket, and work on the yarn in it until I use it up, or put it away. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to empty the bucket, and how many projects can come out of it. One of those cases where, if you write it down, you’re more likely to do it!

Here’s a photo of the bucket today.

I wish I would have thought to take one before I started, but you get the idea. Full! Here’s another picture of the contents, spread out on the sofa.

I’m going to put all the tiny oddballs either in the leftover totes for their specific fiber, or in a bag to take to the Goodwill. I usually try to use up every bit, but see that purple eyelash yarn? I have no idea what to do with that little leftover bit. I made and sold a hat from the rest of that ball several years ago. I’m sure this little bit would make great trim on a Barbie dress, but I’m not ready to go down that road just yet!

Here’s what I’ve made so far:

Two cotton washcloths, using a ball of Lily Sugar and Cream, and Bernat Handicrafter. I should have gotten two blue cloths from the Sugar & Cream, but there was a knot in the yarn, near the beginning, so I cut it out. After I finished the cloth, the remaining balls were not big enough to make another complete cloth. These, and the leftover Handicrafter, will go in the “leftover cotton” tote upstairs. A Ganomy hat from Elizabeth Zimmermann’s “Knitter’s Almanac”. I used one of the two balls on Lion Wool. The hat came out a little on the small side for me. And it only used a little less than one ball, so now I have to figure out what to do with the remaining ball. In progress is a child’s hat. This is from a ball of unlabeled acrylic. Probably Red Heart. Rough texture, but cute colors. I know that I can steam this into something that feels better, but I don’t want to take away too much stretch. And the next project from the bin? A pair of socks. There was one ball of Cervinia Jacquard in the bin, minus its ball band. I found another ball in a box upstairs, and I’m hoping that they’re the same dye lot. I can’t see any difference. I like this Cervinia yarn. No, it’s not as posh as some sock yarns, but I think the finished socks look and feel just fine. I’m basing this pair on another Cervinia pair I made in October, and had the foresight to take notes on!

That’s the stash busting update for now. I’ll continue these updates as I work my way through this one bucket. It isn’t much, but I have a feeling it’s going to take longer than you might think to get through it. And hopefully the projects will be unique, and a bit creative. We shall see!

Welcome to 2009!

2009-01-13T18:05:00.002-06:00

A little belated, but still heartfelt. I didn’t make any resolutions for the New Year, but I do have good intentions about keeping up with the blog. So here goes!

The year seems to be off to a good start. I was on leave over the Christmas holiday, so I enjoyed several relaxing days at home, knitting, watching old movies, and snoozing with the cats. It seems like every two or three days we’ve had snow or sleet or some kind of weather to deal with. The latest was icy rain, which made all the roads and surfaces slick and shiny. It hasn’t really been warm enough to melt yet, so walking around outside is done by taking baby steps.

Much knitting was done during this time. It seems like lately I’ve had so many ideas for new projects, but just can’t knit fast enough! I’ve written most of them down, so hopefully I won’t lose the idea or inspiration.

This is one spur-of-the-moment project. Nothing fancy, but it’s my first attempt at a wine bottle cozy. Instead of digging out a pattern, I just made it up, figuring out the shaping as I went along. I like my basic premise, so I will use it as a jumping off point for future wine cosies. The yarn was an old ball of Brunswick Crystal, that I got from who-knows-where. It’s similar to Lopi, but I never really had any coordinating colors to put with it, and knew that one ball wouldn’t go very far. I wasn’t even sure that I’d get to the top of the wine bottle. The string tie was all I had left when I cast off. Even though it’s kind of plain, it still made a nice gift bag.

My other project that went from start to finish during the holiday was this Christmas Stocking. I adapted the stitch pattern from a vintage sweater pattern, and let the repeats determine the size of the stocking. It’s a little on the large side, especially the foot, but I think Christmas stockings can be all sizes. The yarn for the stocking was – GROAN - Red Heart Super Saver. I don’t intentionally go out and buy this yarn. It just happened to be mixed in with some more desirable yarn in a bag at Goodwill. I was going to use it for charity projects, and still might, but the colors worked well for this project. This is actually the second stocking to come from this yarn. It’s not that pleasant to knit with, but I did find that by washing the finished item in conditioning shampoo, then liberally shooting it with a steam iron will take away most if not all of the roughness and make the hand and drape of the finished item much better. I won’t go overboard with the steam on this stocking, as I want it to have some structure, but I know it will soften up considerably.

Finally, here’s a photo of a recent visitor to the back yard. It was a snowy day just before Christmas, when this pileated woodpecker came swooping in, and spent a good 40 minutes working away at my old black walnut tree. This bird is bigger than Lily the cat, and looks so intimidating! And since it normally doesn’t visit neighborhoods, I felt honored to have it in my yard. It came back last Sunday, which was much sunnier, but I was too close to the window when it swooped in, and couldn’t move to get the camera without scaring it away. What a treat!

Is This a Good Way to Start the Work Week?

2008-08-24T21:30:00.003-05:00

Personally, I think it starts out well, and is mostly accurate, but I don't think I'll ever know what I really want to be when I grow up...

You Are An ISTJ

The Duty Fulfiller

You are responsible, reliable, and hardworking - you get the job done.

You prefer productive hobbies, like woodworking or knitting.

Quiet and serious, you are well prepared for whatever life hands you.

You are conservative and down-to-earth. You hardly ever do anything crazy.

In love, you are loyal and honest. If you commit yourself to someone, then you're fully committed.

For you, love is something that happens naturally. And you don't need romantic gestures to feel loved.

At work, you remember details well and are happy to take on any responsibility.

You would make a great business executive, accountant, or lawyer.

How you see yourself: Decisive, stable, and dependable

When other people don't get you, they see you as: Boring, conservative, and egotistical

What's Your Personality Type?

The Eternal Question...

2008-08-23T11:18:00.003-05:00

I am Rollie, and I Approve This Sofa...

2008-08-18T16:49:00.002-05:00

Saga of the Klik Klak

2008-08-16T14:41:00.004-05:00

When I moved 12 years ago, I bought quite a bit of new furniture, but couldn't afford a new sofa. And even if I could, very few styles appealed to me. So I moved my battered, 1940's era sofa, a second-hand purchase, into my new house and made do.

Over the years, it became even more battered, as three cats used it for a scratching post, and eventually it stayed covered year-round with sheets or quilts and one very ugly slipcover.

It's one good point was that it was very comfortable to nap on, and I could sit on it with all three cats without too much fighting. But it had outlived it's life expectancy years ago.

These days, I still can't afford a new sofa. Not a very fancy one, anyway. And I'm still having trouble finding something I like. And most of the furniture these days is still big, for those big new houses with gymnasium-sized living rooms. Not for my 1950's Cape Cod.

A few years back, I started reminiscing, remembering a sofa (we called it davenport) that we had in the 60's. It was a convertible sofa, meaning you lifted up the front, and then the back folded down, and it became a bed. And there was a storage cabinet underneath. Now, you might be thinking, yeah, a futon, but no, this was upholstered furniture. not a frame and mattress. And it had arms. If you were a tall visiting relative, you had to sleep diagonally so as to avoid the arms. In those days, I loved it, and it was fun. We played on it, slept on it, and I think we even tried to hide a kid or two in the storage underneath. Eventually, it gave way, and we got rid of it, but the memory lingered.

Fast forward to the present. I realized that in my small house, storage is a premium item. I started remembering that sofa, and thinking how clever, and why don't they make something like that today. Then I saw one on "Mission Organization" one day, and the hunt was on. I surfed the web relentlessly, and found a handful of sofas, but either they were mail orider only, or located in Canada, or still too expensive. Then last year, I found the Klik Klak brand, and there were even some in a furniture store about an hour away. This was exactly what I wanted, and I loved the name. Klik Klak! That's the sound it makes when you flip it up and down. How cute!

In July, I was looking through the local Shopko store flyer, and lo-and-behold, they had Klik Klaks! On sale! Four styles! I went right to the store that night, and yes, they had the model I wanted, with arms, upholstered, with storage, all good! Except....out of stock. I got a rain check, and was told I should check back in a week.

Week One: - No Klik Klaks yet. None at any area store. Call again.

Week Two: - Still no Klik Klaks. Another ad comes out; now they're even cheaper. I get a new raincheck.

Week Three: I'm calling twice a week now, because they get trucks in twice a week. But no Klik Klaks, nowhere. Another ad comes out, and now my model Klik Klak is a half page ad, still on sale.

Week Four: I'm calling every store in the area twice a week. Still no Klik Klaks. I know by now that each store has at least 7 on order, but that each store has rain checks out for 12 sofas or more. There might be a problem with the manufacturer, because nobody is getting any.

So last Saturday I wrote a letter to Shopko customer service. I politely asked if they could tell me what was going on. And I also told them, that no matter what store I called, or who I talked to, everyone was extremely polite and helpful. Really. It was amazing. I'm sure other people besides me were calling; they pretty much had the SKU memorized. But never did they act like "oh it's the pesky sofa lady again". Nope. Always very helpful, very sympathetic. All for a cheap sofa. But really, corporate needed to get it's act together.

Monday I received a call from the store manager - corporate had forwarded my e-mail to him. He gave me the inside scoop that they did check into it up the line. They did have problems with the manufacturer, but that stock should start arriving within the next two weeks. They did pull the sofas from upcoming ads until they could fulfill all the outstanding rain checks. And, even though it's not store policy, they WOULD call me when a sofa came in, and I would definitely get one. (I missed out on one that came in the week before because somebody else called at the right time and I did not). I told the manager how pleased I was with the everyone's helpfulness.

And lo and behold, today, about a week ahead of their estimate, I got a call from the store. One more sofa came in, and they were holding it for me until Monday. The timing was perfect; since it was Saturday, I could get my brother to help, and we could take my old sofa to the recycling center, then go get the new one. Which is what we did! And here it is!

Ok, I realize, it's just a cheap sofa. It's not spectacular. But, it's what I can afford, and it's what I want. It's here, it's mine, and I'm going to enjoy stretching out on it and watching the Olympics!

Evenutally, I'm going to move it to the spare bedroom, where it will replace a twin bunk bed. That was the original intent. For the living room, I might get another Klik Klik, or a more traditional sofa. For now, I've perked up the living room and life is good. By the way, when I went to the store to pick it up, I took the staff fresh baked brownies, as a thank-you for being so helpful. Because they genuinely were. Good job!

How Do They Do It?

2008-08-12T11:31:00.005-05:00

I would love to blog everyday. I have been reading several blogs over the summer months. It amazes me that these women have time to knit (some prolifically), work, raise a family, keep house, travel, take photos, and blog about it all. Some manage it every day. How is this possible?

I think some of them must walk around with a camera constantly in their pocket. Even though my camera is small, I don't always remember to take it with me. And then fiddle with the pictures, etc.

Maybe they don't always keep a clean house. You could't tell it from the photos. Maybe they never sleep! I just don't know.

I get up by 6 am, feed the cats and get myself to work. When I come home, I usually make supper, check the mail and e-mail, and then either do chores, work on my ebay and etsy shops, or relax with some tv and knitting. Play with the cats, get ready for the next day, and in bed by 10:30. Chores are usually yardwork in the summertime, or snow shovelling and woodcutting in the winter. The house cleaning type work gets done mostly on weekends, or when I feel like squeezing it in.

I am constantly trying to organize my life, house, and possessions. I am constantly cleaning up after the cats, their food area, litter box, and whatever mess they've made while I was gone (they're good at it, believe me).

And yes, this leaves very little time for socializing. That's ok, I don't have much desire to socialize. I did go to many ball games this summer, and that cut into my free time even more.

I don't know what the secret is, but I'm going to try my darndest to get moving. I've always thought I was a pretty good multi-tasker, but maybe I'm not such a good time manager.

The start of school always stirs feelings of getting organized, getting busy, settling down to a more sturctured routine. Maybe a list of assignments is the answer. A schedule for the off-work hours. We'll see. Something's got to change around here. And it's got to start with me!

In closing, here's a pretty little photo from the backyard.

Attack of the Mutants!!!

2008-07-26T12:17:00.005-05:00

I've been attacked!! By these....

I have no idea what these are. Here's the background - I have one section of yard that contains the remnants of a wildflower plot. Also, in this section, I let any flower that wishes to naturalize itself into the yard do so. It's an area full of shasta daisies, rudbeckia, galliardia, echinacea, fleabane (I do pull that) and more. I spend most of the year mowing around these flowers, then try to cut everything back in the fall went they're done blooming. It's usually very pretty, if a little untidy.

But it appears that all these composites have been up to some indiscreet love-making. And in the front yard too! Imagine!

The plant in the photo is the largest clump, but there are at least two dozen others. Here's a closeup:

I'm going to call it the black-and-blue-eyeball flower! What happened to petals?? Petals are the pretty part, and they're sorely missing from these plants. My brother figures that Darwin's theory will take over here, because no self-respecting bee is going to be attracted to such an ugly thing, without the allure of colorful petals. So he thinks they'll all just die away. I'm not so sure. Here's one more look:It's really too bad, because the plant itself is tall and sturdy. But I think I'll be pulling them all out before they can set seed. I've got enough gardening challenges as it is!

Of course, Rusty blames it all on the government!

I am in Charge Here

2008-07-21T21:38:00.002-05:00

What do you mean, you can't see the tv? What tv? Look at me....I am in control....and I'm not moving until I get some catnip....

A Little Diversion

2008-07-19T15:39:00.004-05:00

Real blog content will resume shortly. In the meantime...

My Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

20% Upper Midwestern

15% Yankee

5% Dixie

5% Midwestern

Take the free quiz: What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

I guess I'm just average, and true to my locale. However, some of the questions didn't have the exact answer I would have picked, so maybe the test needs a little refinement.

You've Got Scarf!

2008-06-24T18:32:00.004-05:00

I guess when you have a blog and a digital camera, you get a little carried away. You become an amateur photographer whether you want to or not! My digital camera is pretty simple, and very outdated compared to what’s out there today. But it was one of the smallest ones going when I bought it, and my biggest need at that time was taking photos for ebay. I like the fact that I can fit it into a plastic traveling soap holder. Other than that, it’s nothing fancy.

But now that I’m trying to take more appealing photos for Etsy and Ravelry, I’m playing around with composition a little more. Not too much – I still just lay a lot of items out on the carpet and call it good. But yesterday I had the whim to get creative, and this is the result. I like this photo. It’s cheery.

I like the scarf too. I bought three balls of Twilleys Freedom Spirit last summer without a project in mind. I just liked the yarn. It sat on a bookcase in the hallway for most of the year. Through the usefulness of Ravelry, I found out that I could make this scarf and it would show off the yarn very nicely.

I don’t always wear scarves in the winter, but I think I’ll wear this one. It’s cozy, and again, I’m drawn to the colors. The yarn was loosely spun, so I’m not sure it would hold up for a harder-wearing item. It would have made a nice felted something, but maybe then the colors would have gotten too muddy. This will do.

Of course, it will be months before scarf season comes around. Until then, happy knitting!

Updates

2008-06-14T07:48:00.002-05:00

I realized, looking back at past blog entries, that I’ve left some writing undone. I’ve written about some projects here on the blog, then finished them on Ravelry. There aren’t too many people reading this, but the few who do probably think I never finish anything!

So here are some updates…

The Blue Tank Top: is finished, but the armholes are way too deep for me to wear comfortably. So I either have to A: shorten the straps, B: pick up and fill in the armholes, or C: never wear it outside the house. Right now, I’m leaning toward C. The Blue Shawl: is finished. I was able to needle felt the hole that Rusty made in it well enough that it’s not too noticeable. However – I HATE WEARING IT!!! It’s like torture. I put it on one chilly Sunday morning, and I actually had to force myself to wear it for two hours. Here’s why: 1. It wouldn’t stay closed across my chest, until I pinned it. This looked stupid because I had to pin it in several places, or it kept gaping open. 2. It wasn’t long enough to completely cover my arms, so my forearms were colder than my upper arms, even though I had a long-sleeved turtleneck on. 3. It got into everything! I couldn’t reach over the stove without holding it back so it wouldn’t touch a burner or drag in the soup. I just kept thinking: I’d rather have a sweater. Sweaters would solve all these problems. Sweaters are so modern compared to this archaic thing! So I may just let Rusty have it for a cat blanket after all. I know there are different types of shawls out there, and I might try a Faroese shawl or Pi shawl next, but this triangle shawl is just not for me.
The Olympic Sweater: hasn’t been touched except to take that photo. Something must be done about this!

And the cats!
Lilly: is much better, although she is started to sneeze and chuffle again somewhat. At least the goopy eye cleared up nicely. See how pretty? Rusty: is fine now, although we went through some intestinal problems this past winter.

Rollie: My good cat, who never gets sick, did the unthinkable, and GOT SICK. He’s being treated for an inflamed bladder, which is either from trauma or food. And I’m watching the others to make sure they aren’t headed in the same direction.

That's all for now - hopefully I can keep the blog up to date with what's going on, although summer activities are numerous. And I've noticed that not too many people are even reading this, so maybe it's all for naught. However, I've been thinking about having one of those contest giveaways to shamelessly lure people to this site. Just for fun. More to follow!

Spinning My Wheel...

2008-06-12T10:35:00.003-05:00

This is my spinning wheel. It’s an Ashford Traveler, which I bought as a kit, almost 20 years ago, and put together by myself. It’s been very neglected and was in a wretched state just a few short weeks ago. But when I found out the batch of sheep’s wool was headed my way, I pulled the wheel out of the corner, cleaned off the dust and cobwebs, tightened up all the joints, made a new drive band, and gave it a whirl.

Here’s a tidbit – Did you know wool that stays on the bobbin for five years loses all of its elasticity? Yep, it surely does. I was working with a very nice wool/silk blend when I stopped spinning five years ago. I have one good skein, that’s all. What was left on the bobbin was rubbish, but I didn’t find that out until I spun some more, and tried plying new with old. What a mess. I pulled off all the old stuff, and started over, spinning up the rest of the roving.

Here’s another tidbit. If you stop spinning for five years, you pretty much become a beginner all over again! At least, the yarn I’ve spun looks like a beginner made it. All thick and thin, over-spun and under-spun. Part of it might be that my wheel still needs some adjustment, but a big part of it is me. I need a remedial class. So I pulled out some sturdy roving, and I’m trying to re-learn proper drafting, and just working toward making a balanced yarn, even if it turns out bulkier for now.

It’s a long road back, but I hope that I can come up with a decent looking yarn by the end of summer. Then maybe I can plunge into some of the new sheep’s wool that will be waiting for me!

When Life Gives You Wool...

2008-06-10T19:29:00.005-05:00

…Make Yarn! A co-worker who lives in Southeastern Minnesota has these three sheep, and last winter she offered me the wool when it came time to shear them. It’s been years and years since I’ve handled raw wool, and then I only played with it a little bit. In fact, it made me realize that it’s been five years since I’ve even done any spinning! Too long, that’s for sure.

The sheep were sheared in May, and suddenly I had several sacks of raw wool to deal with. I called another friend for help, as she used to raise sheep and could at least give me some advice on skirting, and preparation, etc.

We spent a lovely spring evening skirting through the first two bags of wool, removing burrs and manure tags, sticks and straw. I have since skirted one more bag, and have three left to do.

This leaves me with a large pile of nice creamy wool, and that wonderful fresh sheep smell. There’s nothing like it! The sheep turned out to be a Corriedale cross, and since this is their first shearing this is truly “virgin wool”. Most of it is in very good condition, but the one bag I sorted through on my own was full of second cuts (short clippings). It almost made me cry, because it was such lovely clean wool, but chopped to bits. I did save a pillowcase full, and will see if I can use it for stuffing. The next step in the process will be washing the wool, but I’m saving that to do all at once. I’m planning on sending the washed wool to Blackberry Ridge in Mt. Horeb to be carded into roving. The big question is, should I dye some first, before it’s carded, or wait and try to make some hand-painted roving? I might try both, if there’s enough.

All this activity is reinforcing my recent revelation that good fiber craft can and should be very intensive. The past few years, I’ve done so many “quick and easy” projects. Portable, no-fuss projects. That’s ok, but it’s really satisfying to sink my teeth into a time-consuming, mind-challenging project that throws up challenges from start to finish. And I’m up for the challenge!

I'm in Love...

2008-06-09T18:43:00.004-05:00

…with my latest knitting project, that is. I wouldn’t actually say I was in a slump lately, but I was becoming increasing frustrated with my knitting, and not really having any fun. Well, all it took to change that was to read a few blogs! This one in particular. It got me to thinking (always a good thing). I have, in the past, designed a sweater or two. And a few pairs of socks, and hats, mittens, etc. I’ve learned plenty of technique at Knitting Camp, and Stitches, and Midwest Masters. But lately, I haven’t been applying much of it. I needed a new stimulus, a challenge, to learn, and think, and be creative again.

So I took the plunge, and started designing a new sweater for myself. From scratch. I started with creating a stitch pattern that pleased me. Then I thought about it. What did I want to create? Usually I plunge headlong into a project, telling myself I’ll figure out the details later. I didn’t want to do that this time around. I wanted to have a plan. I worked on the development of the sweater long before I cast on, even for the swatch. While I was knitting the swatch, I read Barbara Walker’s “Knitting From the Top”, because I decided I wanted to make a top down v-neck. Now, I made one once before, following a vintage Spinnerin pattern. But this time I wanted to work completely on my own. So I read. And thought. And read some more. Barbara’s book is great, but wordy. Not a bad thing, but how many knitting books do you see that are almost all text these days? Not too many. Usually there are plenty of photos, diagrams, and charts. Not this book. I started thinking about it as a college textbook. Dry, but not really, because there is a wealth of information there. Just not very snazzy.

But I read, and I thought, and I knit. I used my swatch to make changes in the stitch pattern, the needle size, and type. When I was satisfied, I cast off, washed the swatch, smoothed it into shape, and measured. And observed. And thought some more. When I finally cast on for the actual sweater, it was amazing. I felt like I was soaring, because all that prep work had freed me to just run with it. Although, I will say, the initially set-up of the stitch pattern had me a little baffled at first, and I spent about an hour so deep in concentration that I actually shut out any other distractions. I haven’t done that in a long time! But it worked, and now I’m off and knitting away, fast approaching the spot where I join the v-neck and start working in the round. I realize that I could have steeked the v-neck, but I didn’t like the idea of cutting and sewing a steek on yarn with this much halo. That’s also the reason why this will be a pullover, and not a cardigan. This project has gotten me out of whatever kind of knitting doldrums I was in, and I’ve already been thinking ahead to other projects, both original designs and a few patterns I’ve been studying. It’s a great feeling to have the knitting brain in gear again!

We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Knitting...

2008-06-08T10:59:00.004-05:00

To make these: a simple pair of slipper socks. I’ve been working away on several very interesting knitting projects lately. But after a weekend of rummage sale treasure hunting, I had to stop and whip up this quick project. In one of the “free” boxes I found a very crudely crocheted scarf. Obviously a beginner’s project, obviously acrylic yarn. But I figured the next stop for it was the trash, so I pulled it out and added to my haul. I’m sorry that I didn’t take a “before” picture, but just imagine wide stripes of purple and gold in wobbly double crochet. On Saturday afternoon I took the scarf apart, and wound the yarn into balls. It was clear there wasn’t enough for a big project, so I decided to make my standard slipper socks. I added a strand on coned yarn that was black, with slubs of color, including gold, hot pink, purple, blue and green. Adding an extra strand of yarn seems to help unify and spruce up any “leftovers” type project.

I finished the first slipper on Saturday evening, and then made the next one on Sunday, in time to toss in the washer with the laundry. All in all, I’m very pleased with the result. The speckled strand does help pull the project together. For acrylic yarn, the feel is ok, not too stiff. I used up about 90% of the yarn from the scarf. The rest went into the bag for Goodwill. I’ll get some good use out of these, saved some yarn from the trash, and all for zero dollars. Serendipity!

Note: This entry was originally written at the end of April, but I way behind in updating the blog! More to follow!

Give Me Strength...

2008-04-10T17:05:00.003-05:00

I am trying, with great difficulty these days, to focus on my current knitting projects, and not start anything new. I have way too many irons in the fire as it is. Ravelry is a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because it is keeping my unfinished projects in the limelight – there can be no avoiding them when I look at my page. That’s good, because it’s making me focus on finishing a few less-than-interesting projects which I’m sure I would have squirreled away and forgotten about.

One such project is the Shapely Tank. I’m not so enamored of the yarn, now that I’m knitting with it. It’s Sedona, a mercerized cotton from Webs, and while I’m sure I’ll love it for weaving, it doesn’t feel so nice for hand knitting. It feels heavy, and even kind of rough. Also, the pattern, even though it incorporates short rows, and shaping, is still plain old stockinette, and knit flat to boot, which is becoming a snooze. So I’m trying to finish this one as quickly as I can, and move on to something more interesting. The curse of Ravelry, of course, is seeing all the other projects that folks are working on, and getting over-inspired, which makes me want to cast on for at least three or four new projects every day. I really want to do more color work. And cables. And make sweaters for me, instead of just socks, and hats, and such. The last sweater I made for myself is now too big, so I was only able to wear it around the house this winter. It also pilled rather badly, which surprised me, considering it was a fairly nice wool from a Wisconsin supplier.

I did unearth a sweater project that I started during the Salt Lake City Olympics, circa 2002. I always wanted to make a Dale of Norway sweater, but a few attempts made me realize that I didn’t want to follow their patterns with more than two colors in a row, or make the boxy, drop shoulder shaping. So I was making up my own version of an Olympic Sweater. The color pattern is based on a sweater from the Winter 97/98 issue of Vogue Knitting. I’m changing the shaping though among other things, like side seams that disguised any jogging, slip-stitch selvedge, and more. I was really enjoying the knitting, but for some reason I shoved the project into an upstairs closet, and completely forgot about it. When I pulled it out last week, I was surprised to see how far I’d gotten, and wondered what I was going to do next. The yarn felt lovely, and inviting. It is also from Webs, a wool yarn called Greenwich, from the Spinrite Mills. I put the tote with the sweater project back in the living room, and as soon as I finish the Shapely Tank, I’m going to pull it out and see if I can remember what the plan was. Or make a new plan, because it’s not that far along.

One lesson that I may have finally learned is to think carefully before starting a new project, about the reasons for doing it in the first place. Maybe that will help me have the right balance of mindless projects vs. challenging projects, take-along projects vs. less-portable projects, and above all, projects with a purpose, instead of “just cuz”. It’s certainly a good goal to work toward.

My New Toy

2008-04-09T18:09:00.004-05:00

Isn't it cute? Finally, an MP3 player I can handle! I tried an I-pod shuffle a few years ago, but I couldn't get it to work. I didn't want to fiddle with I-tunes, and all that business. All I wanted was to be able to copy the mp3 music and podcast files I already had on my computer to a player.

Also, since I've been suffering from tinnitus for the past year, I really didn't like the idea of earbuds or any other kind of headphones. And all the speaker accessories that come with MP3 players seem awkard and bulky and not very portable.

But here it is, a little Sansa, about the size of a salt shaker, with a speaker in the top. Perfect. For ages 8 and up, which seems to be just about my speed. I was able to copy a hunk of Knitpicks podcasts within 2 minutes of opening the package, and yesterday I added some music from Jonathan Coulton. Works great. The only tiny drawback is that I can't fast forward in the same mp3 file, so if I turn off a podcast in the middle, I have to start from the beginning again. Not a big deal, though, really.

The price was pretty reasonable too. I purchased it from Best Buy, because I had some Reward Zone vouchers to use up. I had to order it on-line, because they didn't carry it in the local store. Cost with shipping, before the discount was less than $50. It comes in other colors, but I thought the pink was sweet.

So now I can listen to podcasts in bed without having to lug the laptop in the bed with me. Or take it downstairs while I'm on the treadmill. Hooray!

Bunny Update

2008-03-18T18:47:00.008-05:00

I've receieved a request to share my circular version of the lop-eared bunny pattern that appeared in the March 2008 issue of Creative Knitting. I'm not going to recreate the pattern here, because that would probably be closing in on copyright infringement. But I will share my notes on the adapation. So if you have the original pattern, you should be able to use my notes to work the pattern circularly.

I cast on the required number of stitches, and divided them on double pointed needles. I joined and knit row 1 according to the pattern. All the even numbered rows were plain knit. So I worked the pattern as written through Row 29, as written. NOTE: There are two edge stitches included in the flat version, to aid in sewing up. I left them in, so the back (or front, it's up to you, has two more stitches. Not a problem, just be aware of it.

Row 31 is dividing for the body. After slipping the required number of stitches to a holder for the arm, I cast on 2 stitches and then knit the next section of body stitches. Same then for the arm on the other side. This puts the seam, or beginning of round at the center back. I then worked the body rounds.

At this point, I left the body, and put the stitches for one of the arms on double points, attached yarn, and worked the arm rounds. On the first round, I picked up two stitches in the base of the two stitches I cast on when I joined the body. I knit and shaped the arms, pulling the yarn tail through the last remaining stitches to gather and close. After doing this, I stuffed the head, then both of the arms, and most of the body.

Back to the body. Remember, there are two more stitches on the body. Divide the body stitches in half, right side and left, and put one half the stitches on double points. Then work the first leg, casting on two stitches to join. Pull the yarn tail through at the end, again to gather the leg shut. Stuff this leg now. Then, put the remaining stitches on double points for the other leg, and join, picking up two stitches in the cast on stitches at the crotch.

I made sure I had long ends of yarn when joining yarns for arms and legs, and used these to snug together any gaps caused by the picked up stitches and joining. The ears were knit exactly as the pattern calls for. The only other change I made was to use a blunt needle and sew a running stitch around the neck, and pull it tight, knot, and work the ends in the help give the neck and head a little more definition.

I hope these notes help anyone who would like to knit these bunnies in the round. It was not too akward knitting on partially stuffed pieces, but then again, maybe I'm used to it, because I do it quite often.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Cabin Fever Causes Feline Fury

2008-03-16T16:42:00.002-05:00

This actually happened last week, but I didn't get a chance to take a photo until yesterday...picture wavy flashback lines, and read on...

There we were last night, having a peaceful dinner. I was on the sofa, with Rollie on one side and Lily on the other, and Rusty across from us, cuddled up on my shawl-in-progress. Everything seemed serene. About an hour later, I was going around the house watering plants, and when I passed by the shawl again, I noticed that it had a huge hole TORN into it, no doubt by feline teeth and claws. This is the Wool Peddler’s Shawl from “Folk Shawls”, and I was in the home stretch of completing it. I’m using a luscious wool/angora blend yarn from Kimmet Croft Fibers. And now – RUINED. The hole is back almost at the beginning, in the garter stitch section.

Needless to say, I was livid. I couldn’t believe my beloved Rusty would behave this way, but this is actually the second piece of knitting he’s attacked in the past week. The other was an acrylic sweater, and I saw him go after it, so I was able to grab it away with only a small, repairable snag. But this – three or four strands of yarn, mangled, leaving a big gaping whole in several rows of garter stitch. I almost cried. I felt like crying, but I think I was too shocked.
Why? Was it because Rollie had booted him off the sofa so he could sit next to me? Did he think I wasn’t paying him enough attention? Was he just bored; sick and tired of winter? He remains silent on the issue. And could he have chosen the worn out acrylic/mohair slippers that I was re-soling, that were right next to the shawl? No. Had to be something pristine. Something lovely. He did come to me later, and put his paws on my lap, but I wasn’t sure he was asking forgiveness. I think it was a threat. “Pay attention to me, or I’ll do it again!”

But I do pay attention. I follow him around like a servant, turning on taps when he’s thirsty, brushing his coat, giving him treats at the same designated times each evening.

Sigh.

I’ve been thinking all evening about how to repair the shawl. I’ve been to Sally Melville’s class on knitting fixes, but this vexes me. The garter stitch winds back and forth in such a way that I don’t think I can figure out how to re-weave it. And to do even try, I’d have to commit to making the hole even bigger. And weave in several ends, which I’ve been avoiding throughout, by carefully spit-splicing the new yarn when needed.

I thought about cutting into the knitting and getting rid of the offending section, and trying to knit back to the beginning. There’d be glitches at the edges, and at the center increase, and there would be stitches going in the wrong direction. I was so proud of the smooth, slip stitch edge I was adding to this shawl.

I think, what I will do, even though it is probably the laziest, most noticeable option, is try to needlefelt the loose ends together and close the hole. I will lay some strands of yarn underneath, and try and fuse everything back together. It will show, but hopefully not so much after a good washing. Since the shawl is for me, and was going to be a utilitarian piece, it won’t matter as much. Maybe once it’s done, I will look at it as a little touch of character. Maybe. Not today though. Today, I’m still a little peeved at the big orange guy. And he's not talking...

It's True What They Say About Bunnies...

2008-03-09T13:24:00.003-05:00

...they multiply! This was a fun project, and I haven't put all the yarn away, so I might even get a few more made before Easter. I had to search upstairs and down to find some ribbon for their neckwear, which was a painful reminder that I need to organize my supplies. It's almost warm enough now to go back upstairs and start working. I don't heat my upstairs in the winter, and the side attic up there makes great cold storage. But now that the days are getting longer, I can get back up there and start putting the place in order.

I'm not sure I'm ready for Daylight Savings though, which started today. What's the point of having more light in the evening? It's still way too cold and snowy to do anything outside. I'd rather have the extra light in the morning, when I'm trying to get up and get ready for work. I'd just switched back to morning showers, instead of evening ones. And I'd finally started waking up before the alarm clock. I wish the government would leave my circadian rhythyms alone. Tomorrow is going to be rough...

If Only They Could Speak...

2008-02-13T21:17:00.003-06:00

Pretty little Lilly has been dealing with a runny eye for over a week now. She has such pretty blue eyes, it was so sad to see her looking so miserable. I had been giving her lysine for a kitty cold, but she wasn’t getting any better. I took her to the vet on Monday, but unfortunately I didn’t get to see my regular vet, who is very thorough. At least I did find out that she didn’t have a viral infection.

It seems that she may have been having problems with the dust from the kitty litter. Even I was noticing how dusty it was, but I didn’t think this was anything new. Lilly has been a chronic sneezer since I got her in 2006. I didn’t associate it with the litter box, because she didn’t sneeze while she was using it; she sneezes mostly when waking up from naps.

I’ve been noticing how dusty the whole litter box area is, and the other cats have been sneezing more as well. So I’m trying out some alternative litters, and hopefully this will help everybody, and keep the basement cleaner too! The first litter I’m trying is ground corn, and I hope it works out, because apparently I can then just buy a type of chicken feed at the feed store and use that, and it will be less expensive. I don’t know why I didn’t try it before. I never liked the idea of the bentonite clay, but because it was the most prevalent product out there, I used it. The corn litter will be able to be composted, so that’s another plus. At least 50% of the garbage in one of my typical garbage bags is clumps from the litter box, so that will mean less trash generated.

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, and I don’t think my cats will be sending me roses like they did last year. However, they are still my sweethearts, and I’ll give them some extra snuggling, and if they could just refrain from throwing up or knocking anything over for a day, that will be gift enough for me!

Quick Like a Bunny...

2008-02-04T17:48:00.000-06:00

When I saw this pattern in the latest issue of Creative Knitting, I wanted to start it right away, but I held back, and worked on some of the other knitting I already had started. But Easter will be here before you know it, so on Saturday I pulled out some pink yarn and cast on. The magazine pattern was written for flat knitting, but after about six rows I ripped out and started over, converting the pattern to circular knitting. It wasn’t too difficult to figure out, and I started stuffing as I went along, once the arms were finished. By Sunday afternoon the first bunny was finished, and I started a second one during the Superbowl. Yes, I did watch most of it, although I took a break during the middle quarters to bake some muffins and do the dishes.

I may alter the bunny pattern in the future, but I wanted to see how the first one worked up. I like that the pattern went by rows, rather than inch measurements. That way I can use any size yarn and needles, and still come out with the same proportions. The first bunny was knit in a sport weight yarn, the second one is in a worsted weight, so it will be bigger. After that I’m making one in fingering weight. I guess it’s true about bunnies multiplying!

Finally, Rusty the pseudo-groundhog, did not see his shadow on Saturday, but he predicts that Spring will get here when it gets here, and he’s not going out again until the snow disappears, thank you very much.

Have a Super Weekend

2008-02-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

Ok, now that these guys are not going to the Superbowl, I may or may not watch the big game on Sunday night. I certainly am not planning my weekend around it. But I probably will be plopped on the couch Sunday night watching something, and working on my knitting. That’s because I just bought a new television today, and managed to get it all hooked up and running, and it’s great!

The blog was on vacation back in July, which is when my former television blew up. No kidding – a horrible buzzing, then a pop, then that acrid electrical smoke – it was nasty. And scary. After the frantic pulling of plugs and cables, I was left with a useless plastic and glass hulk. Thinking that maybe it just needed to cool off, I plugged it in an hour later – nope, same horrible buzz and smoke. The next Saturday, before hauling it to the recycling center, I tried one more time, with the same result. That TV was toast.

Luckily for me, my boss was about to sell a similar size set in her rummage sale, so she let me buy it for $25.00. It’s been working all right, but the whole episode gave me a push to jump on the flat screen bandwagon, and I’ve spent the last few months researching brands, sizes, and other features.

One thing I might watch this weekend is the DVD set of Knitting Around videos by Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen. I had the set on VHS tape, but upgraded last week when I needed to order some needles from Knitpicks. I listened to a little bit of Elizabeth reading her “Digressions” and watching the family photos. They used dozens more photos than in the book, and I think it was wonderful of Meg to share so much of her family’s personal history with us.

On the knitting front, I was able to finish this pink baby sweater knit from Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. I had used this type of cotton yarn exclusively for washcloths, but wanted to try it in a small garment. I think it turned out rather well. I don’t think I’d like it for a sweater for me though. It might end up too heavy, and then sag. I’ve only knit a few sweaters from cotton yarn. Bernat Gloucester and Bernat Cassino were successes in their day. My sister still wears the cabled sweater I made from Cassino. I’ve lost track of the Gloucester sweater. I think it’s in the dresser in the spare room waiting for me to shrink back into it. But it was very comfy. I’m working on a Shapely Tank using Sedona Cotton from Webs, and at this point, it does not have the nicest feel to it. It’s a mercerized cotton, and I’m hoping that once I wash it, the feel of it might improve. Finally, Rusty is going to play Groundhog tomorrow and venture outside to see if he sees his shadow or not. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’ve decided that for him. Of the three cats, he’s the one who most closely resembles a groundhog, at least in his size and ambling gait!

Cabin Fever

2008-01-25T16:43:00.000-06:00

Can you have cabin fever if you like your cabin? Or, more specifically, your 1950 modified Cape Cod? I love winter, and this winter has been just exceptional in the amount and duration of snowfall, and now the frigid temps. I really can’t complain. But as I sit pondering this latest blog entry, I fear it will turn into a “blah” entry. Suddenly, there is nothing new or interesting going on to take note of.

But the weekend is here, and that’s something to look forward to. So here is my weekend “To Do” list:

1. List more items on Ebay – This will include knitting books and yarn, so if you’re interested, by sure and check it out!
2. List more items on Etsy – This will also include knitting books and yarn, so check that out too!
3. Update the blog – ok, did that!
4. Play on Ravelry – only a little, because it’s way too easy to lose yourself for hours if you’re not careful.
5. Clean house – just a little, because it’s way too easy to lose yourself…oh wait, that would never happen…
6. Sort out the desk and get the tax paperwork together – the sooner the better.
7. KNIT, KNIT, KNIT – ok, finally, the best part! I’m looking forward to time on the sofa, getting caught up with my Netflix movies, and finishing a project or two.

And, because this really would be a blah entry without photos, here are a couple of a recent FO. I knit this baby cardigan over the Christmas holiday. It’s knit from the top down, with a couple of hearts for cuteness. I like top-down knitting, and have already started another cardigan using some Bernat Handicrafter Cotton. I wanted to try using this yarn for something other than washcloths. So far, so good. The body of the cardi and one sleeve are finished, and if I can force myself, I’ll get the second sleeve done this weekend, and finish it off.
Finally, Rusty says “I didn’t see any mention of me on your ‘To Do’ list. I think number one should be “Brush Rusty until he falls asleep in utter contentment, with a belly full of cat treats!”

Temptation, thy name is Ravelry!

2007-12-15T14:16:00.000-06:00

The holidays are upon us, and what happens? My Ravelry invite arrives! I've tried not to get sucked into the site, because I hear it can eat up a lot of time, but what I've seen so far looks pretty good. I've started adding projects and stash and books, but I don't think I'd ever get everything entered. I do plan to use it to keep track of new projects; I think it will be very helpful there. And by looking at what others are making, I've found even more projects to try. Like I needed that!!

Here's my latest completed project - an afghan for my nephew Mike's wedding. He and Haley got married last Saturday, and I actually got this done with a week to spare. I bought the yarn, Moda Dea Floral, back in June, with the intention of crocheting an afghan. But when I tried the pattern I had in mind, I used up one ball on just the first two rows. So I thought it over, and decided to knit a rectangle from the center out, so that when I ran out of yarn, I was done.

Good theory, but in practice, as the afghan grew, I needed longer and longer needles to hold all the stitches. KnitPicks Options needles to the rescue! I was able to use two 60" needles to hold the stitches, and knit with a third.

Here's a photo of the lovely bride and groom.

And here's a photo of my niece Dawn and myself, in the kitchen before the wedding, helping them set up. I love that little stove, and would have liked to take it home with me!

Ok, enough goofing around for now, time to bake Christmas cookies!

I'm Back!!!

2007-11-21T20:20:00.000-06:00

After a long vacation from blogging, I think I'm ready to climb back in the saddle! I'm not sure what happened there...life certainly wasn't dull, but maybe just a little too routine. Anyway, Spring and Summer have passed, and Autumn is settling in nicely, and it's time to cozy up to the keyboard and catch up!

Changes are coming to my humble abode: I've taken the plunge and signed another chunk of my life away to make some much needed upgrades. First on the agenda is the replacement of outdated and dysfunctional single-pane windows with energy efficient vinyl replacement windows. I'm not a big fan of things plastic, but the price and the energy savings can't be beat. My brother is helping me out by doing the installation himself. This is wonderful, because not only is he saving me thousands of dollars in labor (more money for yarn!), he is a meticulous craftsman, and it taking many extra steps to make sure the job is done to perfection. Here's an example - note the before and after!

As you can see, the old storms were in desperate need of paint, as well as glazing. Every Fall when I'd hang them, more glazing would fall off. I was worried that one year the whole pane of glass would just fall right out. In some places the frames are rotted away.

Here's the interior view:

The window on the right has never worked since I bought the house. Most of the windows have latches that are wonky, so this replacement is long overdue. I plan to eventually paint the trim white, so the contrast isn't so great. The replacement job is halfway done, and I'm already noticing that the upstairs and my bedroom are staying much warmer. I have a window over my bed, and each winter I could lay in bed, and put my hand up and feel the cold air blowing in, even with a storm window. The new windows are giving me a warm feeling all over!

Knitting update: I'm busy knitting an afghan for my nephew's wedding on December 8. It's almost done, and I hope to complete it this weekend, so I can work on something more interesting. Stay tuned for photos of the finished project.

Kitties update: Rusty was quite ill last month, with bowel troubles, but we seem to have that under control now, with daily medication. So far he is clueless that his nightly treats contain pills. Let's hope it stays that way. He picked up a nasty kitty cold the day he spent at the vet, which called for more medicine. He's pretty much over it, but managed to pass it on to Rollie. Here's a photo of the sickroom:
Ok, that's enough for tonight. I have to go settle in on the couch for the annual viewing of "Home for the Holidays" with Holly Hunter. It's one of my holiday favorites. I can relate to both the sisters, and I have no doubt that some day I'll turn into Aunt Gladdy!

I've Been Treated!

2007-05-23T20:41:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, when I had my lapse in blogging, I received the nicest package as part of the Knitter’s Treat Exchange. All the way from Donegal Ireland! Kay from Kaybeeknits sent me the wonderful treats you see here. I was in the middle of a hectic time at work too, so I put the goodies aside until I could enjoy them, which I did starting on May 14. In the package were three balls of luscious fingering weight wool, perfect for socks. I’ve never seen this brand even mentioned in the US, so I’m really tickled to get it. The colors are lovely and it feels fantastic. Much better than the sock yarn I’m working with now.

Also included were a Stacy Charles pattern book, which has an entrelac pattern I’m going to try, and a pair of Brittany Birch needles. Perfect for the next scarf project!

The other goodies were a bath fizzy from Lush, and oat cookies and chocolate from the UK. Again, exotic treats for me, and they are all only a happy memory now. Thanks so much Kay, I really loved it!

Whew!

2007-05-22T12:33:00.000-05:00

Spring has sprung, and suddenly there are dozens of things to do, places to go, and it feels like everything happens at once. The May calendar filled up fast, and June will be the same.

I had a very successful garage sale at the end of April. I still have to fill a few boxes with the leftovers to take to Goodwill, and once that’s done, I can get back to cleaning and organizing and other fun chores. Prior to the sale, I was upstairs in the craft room, and I started clearing the space so that I can actually dust the surfaces, vacuum the rugs, and have some space to move around. To do this, I had to box up quite a bit of yarn and patterns, and store them in the closet. I hated to do it, because that section of closet was perfectly organized, cataloged, and functional. Now, it’s stacked to the ceiling with boxes.

But the main workspace is almost clear of clutter, which is very inviting. After I clean and scrub I hope to concentrate on the following projects: finish warping the table loom and start weaving (as soon as I remember what I was going to weave), continue cataloging the craft magazines and patterns that I just stuffed into the closet, and clean off the sewing machine and complete the neglected mending projects. Notice how none of that involves knitting? Oh well, that’s what happens when you have so many interests.

The yard and garden are charging ahead without me. I’m not sure what to make of the yard this year. I’m trying to save money, so I think I’ll work on dividing my perennials, and using them to expand the existing beds. There’s plenty of that kind of “maintenance” gardening to do.

On the knitting and crocheting front, I’ve finished a baby blanket for my neighbor, who is expecting a baby girl in June. Pictures will follow as soon as I put it through a wash cycle and block it a bit.

I’ve been trying to keep plugging away at existing projects rather than start new ones. I’m not keeping track as well as I did a few months ago.

More details to follow, along with photos of knitting, kitties, and the recent trip to the pineries of Northern Wisconsin!

What's Wrong with this Picture?

2007-04-14T16:40:00.000-05:00

See the mittens? See the blue line of stitches on the right mitten, ready for the afterthought thumb? Notice how the left mitten is missing a row of blue stitches. GRRRR! I had planned on finishing this project over Easter weekend, and sat down with them last Friday evening. I worked half a row, and then checked to see which hand I was working. That’s when I noticed the missing stitches.

I don’t even want to try and put a thumb in without those stitches, so one alternative would be to rip back. Look how far I’d have to rip! And the yarn would be a tangle, since it’s been stranded over and over for many, many rows.

The other thing I don’t like about these mittens is that they seem to widen out to such a broad top. I can’t figure out if it’s an illusion or not. The design makes them look top heavy, but they also seem way too big when I try one on. I didn't show the front of the mitten, but it's got a Celtic-style emblem with lots of diagonal lines. You know how those can fool the eye.

So, even though these mittens are more than ¾ done, I’m thinking I’m going to rip them out completely. I think this yarn really wants to be a hat, or a headband. After all this, that’s what it’s telling me!

I started this project during the 2006 Winter Olympics, and was really looking forward to getting it done and moving on. It kind of put a damper on the weekend knitting.

The other damper on the week has been a constant ringing in my head. It started out in one ear, on April 6, but now it feels deeply rooted in my brain. I’m going to the doctor on Monday, but I’m doubtful that the cure will be a simple change of medication or whack upside the head. If it were only that easy. However, since it’s starting to affect my sleep (not getting any), and my sunny disposition (ha!), it’s time to stop messing around on my own and call in the professionals.

The thing that gets me is that one year ago, before I started the big diet and exercise kick, I would have expected something like this. But why now, after I’ve lost 55 pounds, and walked 140 miles on my treadmill, and cut out the bad foods? It’s a mystery.

Finally, here’s a photo of the finished potholder project. These were fun to make, and I will probably do another pair this spring or summer. It would be a good project to take to the ballgames when they start, because the pattern is easily memorized and not hard to keep track of.

Slip Sliding Away...

2007-03-31T12:04:00.000-05:00

…My resolution to finish two old projects before starting something new, that is. But I have a good reason, at least I think so. I started a pair of vintage style potholders this week, and they will be a very quick project, so I can almost pretend they didn’t happen. I think I mentioned before that I sell a few handmade things at a local place called The Craft Barn. It’s a nice place out in the country, where there are cats running around outside and you can buy farm fresh eggs. Well, last year I was asked to make some vintage style potholders for a regular customer. I made one pair, they were purchased, and I’ve been meaning to make some more ever since. This customer should be making one of her annual visits soon, so I wanted to get at least one new pair made before she shows up again.

As soon as these are done I plan to get cracking on those old projects. I put quite a few inches on the baby blanket last week, but was still over a foot short of the suggested 42 inch length. And last night I finally unearthed the pattern I was using to make another pair of Norwegian style mittens. Not that anyone is going to need mittens this time of year, but this project is ¾ done, and it will be nice to see it completed. And there’s a little bear that I started making on my birthday last November, who is just waiting for a head, some stuffing, and a personality!

I still have the cleaning bug, and managed to catalog and store two boxes of needlework magazines last weekend. That hardly made a dent in the piles, but it’s a start. And when I was looking for crochet cord for the potholders, I realized that I need to reorganize that stash. I have several boxes of cord, but each box was a combination of weights, so that I had to rummage through all of them to pull out what I needed.

My brother, the enabler, brought me more yarn from Goodwill this week. The cones of blue are cotton, and the others are odd balls of wool and acrylic. I showed him how to do burn tests to determine fiber content, but he didn’t think they’d let him start any fires at the Goodwill store. Probably not. Finally, the cats are loving the fact that I brought the scrap afghan out to work on. I piled it on the coffee table, which makes it really easy to move the bulk of it around while I add to it. But try getting the cats off it first! They all seem to thinks it’s their own private nest!

Footwear

2007-03-24T13:28:00.000-05:00

I know you’re all waiting patiently for the glorious details of my spring cleaning weekend. I had such high hopes. Dashed, all dashed! Aside from doing the dishes and a little bit of tidying up, the only thing I managed to accomplish was that I soaked the shower head in vinegar, and now it’s like new again. Big woop.

What did I do all that time? Well, knit, of course! Here are two projects I finished last week. The first is a pair of baby booties in some Cervinia sock yarn. This is my standby pattern, and I’ll be trying to sell these on Etsy. The second project is my pair of socks for the Sock-a-Month 3 knitalong. They are the Friday Harbor socks from “Knitting on the Road” by Nancy Bush. I was concerned that they would be too big, but they fit my feet just fine. The yarn is Softee from Kimmet Croft Fibers, over in Wisconsin Rapids. It’s a blend of Rambouillet wool and Angora rabbit. Very soft indeed. I’m finding it very difficult to keep to my “finish two old projects before starting a new one” rule. I’ve stuck to it, but I’ve been paging through craft magazines and pattern books and seeing a lot of different projects that I want to make. The two finished projects shown here have allowed me to start my socks for April, so now I’m up against it to get other things done. My neighbor is having a baby, so I really should start another blanket. I’m almost finished with a knit blanket in baby boy blue, but I need to make a pink one so I’ve got my bases covered. I say pink because my brother brought me some pink yarn this week from Goodwill that should work just fine. He also brought some cream yarn, that I think I’m going to combine with a cotton coned yarn for another boy’s blanket.

Yes, this new yarn added to the stash. But, one of my rules was that I could get second hand yarn, so I’m covered. It actually hasn’t been too hard not buying any new yarn, but I haven’t really been able to peruse the knitting catalogs much. Too tempting.

Ok, enough for now. I’m actually getting more cleaning type work done this weekend, so I better get back to it. There’s a kitchen table full of plastic containers that need to be put away. Oh joy…

Mission Impossible?

2007-03-16T19:10:00.000-05:00

Much as I would love to spend the entire upcoming weekend nestled on the couch, watching old movies and knitting, I don’t think I’d better. The Spring Cleaning bug is really biting, and I can think of dozens of chores that need doing.

Do you think anyone ever reads one of those books on getting organized, and then actually does it? Completely? I have my doubts. I’ve started organizing my house time and time again, only to hit some kind of stumbling block that stalls the project. Sometimes it’s lack of space. Sometimes I just run out of steam.

For me, organizing is an ongoing process. I’ve used this analogy before: I picture my house, or just a given room in my house, as one of those plastic number puzzles where you slide the tiles around in the frame, with only one blank space, and the object is to get all the numbers in order, moving them around one square at a time. That’s how I feel when I try to clean. Stuff just keeps shifting from space to space, in a different order, but I never seem to complete the puzzle.

I don’t mean for this to sound disheartening. I realized earlier this year that one of my favorite hobbies is organizing! I love the process of sorting and categorizing and making room for all my treasures. And I actually do have some systems in place that make sense and help me find certain things when I need them. It’s just that the chaos seems to outweigh the order.

So it’s time to sort, scrub, and purge if possible. Late next month I’ll be having a garage sale, so this will be the perfect weekend to start getting ready for that event. So although I’ll still put in the requisite time on the sofa with the pointy sticks, the name of the game this weekend will be “Mission Organization”. And if you’d like to see what I’m purging, click here to link to my eBay seller page. There are some needlework goodies there already, some brand new, with more to be added as the days go on…remember…one person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Gee, not that any of MY stuff is trash…to me, it’s all treasure!

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire

2007-03-15T19:12:00.000-05:00

Today I signed up for the Knitters Treat Exchange. It sounds great. Here are the answers to my questionnaire.

1. What's your favorite type of yarn? Wool yarn, and I lean toward tweedy or flecked yarns.
2. What's your least favorite type of yarn? Novelty yarns, especially synthetic ones in day-glow colors.
3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop? Drool? Have palpitations? I try to start at the perimeter and work my way around, but eventually I'm zigzagging back and forth, touching whatever catches my eye.
4. What other crafts do you do/ would like to do? I weave, spin, cross stitch, embroider, do stained glass, and someday I'd like to try mosiacs.
5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to? Knitter's, Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits, Simply Knitting, Creative Knitting, Knit Simple, Woolgathering, Taste of Home, Cooking for 2, Reminisce, Reminisce Extra, Country Living, Country Woman, Garden Gate, and Family Handyman. Whew.
6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference (here's my order): Knitting/Other Craft (Weaving)/Crochet/Home/Food/Garden, and the rest I don't care about (fashion and celeb gossip).
7. What items to you like to knit/crochet? Socks, sweaters, hats, bags, dolls, stuffed animals, afghans, rugs, almost anything.
8. Are you allergic to anything? A couple medications, no food items or fibers.
9. What do you like to smell of? Rose petals or lily of the valley.
10. What's your favorite way to relax? A hot bubble bath with a good British cozy mystery and a glass of sherry!
11 and 12 and 13. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, and Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery, and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first? What do you come out with? I'd go to the bakery first, and get a good loaf of bread or some rolls, and of course a little pastry, all for later. Then I'd go to the dainty tea room, and enjoy a nice tea.
14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal? I'm easy to please, so don't stress too much over the choices. I'll love anything you pick, so send something that will help me get to know you and your location a little better. This will be fun!

Water, Water, Everywhere...

2007-03-13T19:23:00.000-05:00

I love winter. It is my favorite season. Last week, however, winter did not love me. Heavy snowfalls and a poorly insulated attic caused ice dams to form on the north side of the house, and I had a very leaky roof. It just about did me in. Between dealing with the leaks, the ice, and a sick kitty, I was plumb worn out. It was just too much, and I had a little meltdown. I was going to share all the details, but I really just can’t think about it anymore.

This week I feel like I’m getting my life back together, which is good. There were a few bright spots last week that I’m now able to fully enjoy. One is that my tote exchange partner sent me the most wonderful package! It came on Monday, which was Day One of the roof fiasco. Isn’t it great? The tote is nice and roomy, and I might swap it for the bag I’ve been hauling back and forth to work. Either that or I’ll put a nice knitting project in it. And I’m loving all the little extras that Janice sent. They are very much appreciated! I put my tote package in the mail last Friday. I had a lot of fun making this tote, although I do think the strap was too long. I don’t think it fulled at the same rate as the rest of the tote, because it kept getting stretched out in the washer and dryer. I ran this tote through 4 wash cycles. I didn’t put it in a separate bag, and did throw in various other clothing that needed to be washed, so the strap kept getting tangled around turtlenecks and socks and such. Other than that, I love the bag, and I hope Becka does too!

Stash Busting Report for February, 2007

2007-03-04T17:11:00.000-06:00

Ok, I didn't bust as much stash in February as I'd hoped, but it's a short month! I completed the following projects: 1 catnip toy, 1 tote bag, 1 ski hat, 1 pair of baby booties, and 2 pair of socks. This effort used up 13 balls of yarn, a total of 46 balls for the year so far. Not bad. I do have some larger projects in the works, which should help with the totals when they're completed. That's the key - complete the projects!!

I've managed to keep my other resolution to only start a new project after I've finished two old ones. In fact, I had to finish the green bedsocks just so I could start another pair of socks and keep up with the "Sock-a-Month" Knitalong. That rule is a little tough right now, though, because I don't have a good project for treadmill knitting, or for carrying along. But I'm going to try to stcik with it. I keep unearthing projects that have been set aside for years, and it's so sad. They need to be finished!

Finally, here is a photo of the shawl I started a few weeks ago. This yarn is so soft, I'm sure I'm going to enjoy wearing this as much as I'm enjoying knitting it.

SNOW!!!

2007-03-02T10:41:00.000-06:00

We have had a week of snow here in Wisconsin. It started last Friday night, and on Saturday morning I woke up to see 18 inches of the white stuff. Just a few days before, I had been contemplating getting out the rake and starting on the front lawn. Ha!

I have a very powerful snow blower, and yet it took me two hours to clear away what usually only takes 30 minutes. Several times the chute clogged because I was trying to blow the snow over drifts already up to my shoulders. Sunday was more of the same, with six inches of new snow. Monday it tapered back to three inches. Then we had a few clear days, and last night it started up again, with six inches of new snow this morning.

Actually, I love it. This is how I remember winter. This is what we should have been dealing with since December.

The photo of the house is from Monday, and it really doesn't show the snow depth very well. But look how pretty the snow makes the house look! The trees are three of the spruces I have growing on the west side yard. I went out on Thursday and knocked the snow off, because we were forecast to get freezing rain, and I was afraid they would snap.
All these snow days mean one thing - more time for knitting! Well, that's what's on tap for this afternoon anyway. I'm going to work at my desk until noontime, then at 2 pm "Sense and Sensibility" is on TCM, so I'll take a break and do some knitting. I finished my tote for the Tote Exchange, but I still have plenty of projects to work on. Tomorrow I'll give a summary of February's stash busting efforts. Knit on!

I Have Seen the (Cooking) Light!

2007-02-19T15:09:00.000-06:00

I feel like I've made another breakthrough in the dieting odyssey that I'm on. I've discovered the Cooking Light website! I'm amazed, and very happy.

On the Spark Website, they were a number of recipes in the recipe section from Cooking Light. I was underwhelmed with them. Most seemed to use fake ingredients - butter substitutes, sugar substitutes, etc, and some still seemed really high in calories. I'm trying to be on this diet without using such things. I want to eat as normally as possible. I'm not 100% opposed to them, but I don't think they're a permanent answer, at least not for me.

Last night I realized that I had a bad banana in the fruit bowl, and since I had today off work, I knew I'd have time to bake. I searched for a suitable recipe, looking at two other websites first, before a little voice inside said "try Cooking Light".

Amazing! I printed out six recipes for various banana bakery - and that was only a fraction of what was available. All of them used real ingredients - butter, eggs, sugar, you name it. Now, banana bread, banana cake, etc, are not really my favorites in the bakery realm, but I will make them from time to time. So to find six recipes that sounded good and fit my diet was fantastic.

Then I ventured into the cookie section. I had to stop looking after a while, because I was starting to get hungry! Again, dozens of great recipes, real ingredients, and most of them would provide a generous portion for a reasonable amount of calories.

So what did I make? This - Banana Coconut Crumb Cake. Now I know how hard it is to take good food photographs, but trust me, this turned out really well! It looks like real cake, tastes like real cake, and smelled wonderful in the oven. The recipe is here.

I can't wait to try their Lemon Bars. I do think that lemon bars are my ultimate favorite baked item, and it just about did me in last July to bake them for a gathering and not be able to gorge myself. But if the Cooking Light Lemon Bars pass muster, I'll be one satisfied dieter!

Finally, here is a rare photo of all three cats within paw's length of each other. This was taken during our sub-zero cold snap from a couple of weeks ago. They had to huddle together, under the circumstances. It looks a little like the Yalta Summit, don't you think?

Sven, Interrupted...

2007-02-18T14:18:00.000-06:00

Confession is good for the knitting soul...right?

Here is Sven, brought up from the basement, after a lapse of maybe 12 years or more. I'm going to add him to the list of unfinished projects, and try to get him finished once and for all.

This cute pattern is from Cottage Creations. Carole Anderson doesn't appear to have a website, but if you google her company you can find plenty of vendors carrying her patterns. She has a whole series of these knitted people, and I think I have patterns for German dolls and Polish as well. But Sven came first, and so far, not so good.

Oh, the pattern is very well written, and I remember that I enjoyed getting as far as I got. For some reason, I just never got finished. He's been sitting in a box for years, first at my mom's house, and now at my own house, waiting to become a real boy. I do remember that for several years, the pattern and the project got separated from each other, so that was a good excuse. But poor one-legged Sven has been waiting patiently for way too long.

Hopefully I'll be sharing more of his knitting story with you, and we'll have one more finished project before too long! After all, I've owned up to it, so now I've just got to follow through. Don't read back to the beginning of the blog though, because there are even more recent projects (from last year), that still aren't finished!

Finally, I've noticed that the "k" key on my computer seems to not always function. A very bad key for a knitter to lose, don't you think? Could it be that I've worn this key out? Or could it be that there's just a huge wad of cat hair under there???

My Kitties Love Me!

2007-02-15T20:07:00.000-06:00

Just look at the beautiful roses they gave me for Valentine's Day! They are gorgeous. Ok, yes, I had to buy them, but I know it's the kind of thing the cats would have done, if only they could have gotten to the store. Or had any money. They would have chosen roses, or catnip, or dead mice, or live mice...I'm sure.

Rollie is here with the flowers. He's getting ready to chomp on that piece of ferny stuff they put in with the roses. Rusty is already heading out of the photo - he had a bite of it already! And Lilly's just too small to jump way up on the table...

Seriously though, these blooms were a no brainer. The grocery store had 65 cases of roses delivered, and they were $3.00 for a half dozen. A pittance for something so lovely. I guess by now you can tell I'm a pushover when it comes to flowers!

Well, it Didn't Take Long...

2007-02-13T20:45:00.000-06:00

…to find a new project to start! I had been thinking about making a shawl, and seeing some on the knitting blogs only helped that desire along. I made a simple shawl a few years ago, and sold it at a craft fair, so it is one piece of knitting that I don’t have for myself.

I’m not sure I’m the shawl type, but I guess if I had the right one, I could be. So I looked through my pattern books, and decided to make the Wool Peddler’s Shawl from Cheryl Oberle’s “Folk Shawls”. The yarn I chose from the stash is a beautiful medium denim blue color of Kimmet Croft Softee, which is a blend of 80% Rambouillet wool and 20% angora. This yarn is lovely and supersoft, and I forgot how much I adore it. I bought it directly from Jan Kimmet during one of Meg Swansen’s Knitting Camps, so it’s been hanging around for at least ten years.

I was trying to remember if I’d purchased it with any particular garment in mind, and I think it must have been for a shawl, even way back then. Knitting Camp was a wonderful experience, and I attending during the years when Marilyn Van Keppel was working on translating the patterns from the Faroese Shawl book into English. I think she wore a different shawl every day, and during her portion of “show and tell” they came out one after another, each one more spectacular than its predecessor. It’s a wonder I didn’t start one right then and there!

I wound the first hank into a ball on Sunday, and that could have gone better. I put the hank on the swift, and clipped the threads that tied it together, but I guess I didn’t pick the right loose end to start winding with. Sometimes it’s easy to figure out which one to start with, sometimes it’s deceptive. Well, the strand I picked was caught around some other strands part way around the hank, so I couldn’t use the ball winder. I had to wind the ball by hand, and every time I got to the twisted section, feed the ball through and untangle it. It took a little longer this way, but the yarn is a joy to handle, so that made up for it. I got started with the knitting, and have a nice little triangle made already.

I added a stitch to each edge so I could make a slip-stitch selvedge. I plan on working a single crochet or perhaps an I-cord border across this edge when the shawl is done. Since it is the upper edge of the shawl and will probably get the most stress, I want to be sure it’s sturdy. Pictures by the weekend, I hope!

I worked on a rotation of six projects on Sunday evening, doing a few rows on each in turn. As I said, I really like everything I’m working on right now, so it was a pleasant evening. My next goal though, since I finished some booties last night, is to pull an older project into the rotation. I can’t keep working on new stuff all the time!

Another Accomplishment and Another Rule....

2007-02-10T16:34:00.000-06:00

I just finished cleaning out the fridge and scrubbing it down, so I think I'm done with chores for the day! That job took a couple of hours and got me soaking wet, but it looks so sparkly in there now!

I finished this crocheted tote last night. The pattern is from the 2006 Crochet Pattern a Day Calendar, July 1, I think. The bag was supposed to be made with plastic store bags, but I didn't have very many, and wanted to use up this yarn anyway. I made the tote deeper than the pattern, again, because I was using up yarn. I like the way it turned out. It's just big enough for an average size project, or a few books, or a nice lunch! The yarn is Skacel Airone, a wool and acrylic blend.

My new rule is actually an old rule. Since I posted that list of uncompleted projects a few days ago, it's been bugging me. Especially because I found more projects that I could add to the list. Some from years and years ago. So my new rule is this: I need to complete two old projects before I can start a new project. I tried this a few years ago, and it worked pretty well for a few months, then everything went haywire.

I actually completed another project today, so I can start something, if I like! I finished knitting a ski hat from the Fall 2006 issue of Knit It - it was the cover cap. It turned out way too large, so now I'm going to try shrinking it to see if it will actually be an ok hat. Pictures will come later on in the shrinking process, although I should have taken one today, when it was soaking yet and covering my whole head down to my chin!

As for what new project to start, I'm not sure. I have one idea, but I don't think I'll start anything just yet. I'm liking all the projects I'm working on right now.

Finally here's a photo of Lilly and her pretty blue eyes....

Scarf in Progress

2007-02-09T15:14:00.000-06:00

Here’s a project I started in December. I thought that maybe I’d make scarves for everyone for Christmas this year. In reality, I’m not sure if that’s going to happen. I have 15 people on my list to knit for, so that would be 1.25 scarves per month. Since it’s February, and I’m still knitting scarf #1, and want to be able to work on other projects, I might have to figure something else out.

I like this pattern, and I’m enjoying working on the scarf. I found the pattern here. The yarn I’m using is a mohair/acrylic blend coned yarn that I got from Webs a few years back. I’m using it double stranded on #3 needles. I was worried that the fluff of the mohair might obscure the lace pattern, and it does a bit, but I still like the look of it.
The photo is from the beginning of January. The scarf is 6 inches wide and about 3 feet long now, about halfway done. It’s going to have to be blocked, because at this length it’s started to fold over on itself, in spite of the added garter edging. It’s actually folding on the center of the lace pattern repeat, which is acting like a crease. I probably could have knit with only a single strand of this yarn, but I was worried that the knitting would be too loose. Now it seems a little too bulky. Did I swatch to check this out ahead of time? Of course not!